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THE 


WORKS 


THE  REV.  JOSEPH  BELLAMY 


LATE  OF  BETHLEM,  CONNECTICUT. 


IN    THREE    VOLUMES. 


VOL.  III. 


|"e( 


PRINTED    BV    J.   SEYMOUR,    NO.   49,    JOHN-STHEST. 


1812. 


xi. 


CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME  III 


The  Law  our  School-master,  »  '    •  •  .          » 

A  Blow  at  the  Root  of  the  refined  Antinomianism  of  the  present  age,  8cc.  75 

That  there  is  but  one  Covenant,  -whereof  Baptitm  and  the  Lor  if  a  Supper 
are  Seals,  viz.  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  proved  from  the  word  of  Godf 
and  the  doctrine  of  an  external  graceless  covenant,  advanced  by  the 
Sev.  Mr.  Moses  Mather,  sho-am  to  be  an  unscriptural  doctrine. 
Preface,  -       «* 

Section  I.  The  nature  of  Mr.  M.'s  external  graceless  covenant,  its  differ- 
ence from  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  a  general  view  of  the 
subject,  -  -  .  •  -  '  _••/  '  '  *2* 

— —  n.     The  covenant  ir!tK  Abraham  was  a  holy  covenant,  and  could 

nut  be  rexlly  complied  with  but  in  the  exercise  of  real  holiness,        ISO 
_  HI.     The  covenant  with  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  was  a  holy 

covenant,  and  could  not  be  really  complied  with,  but  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  real  holiness,  •  -       140 
.      IV.     The  Gospel  of  Christ  essentially  different  from  Mr.  Ma- 
ther's external  graceless  covenant,       -  154 
.1  V.     Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  are  seals  of  the  covenant  of 

grace,  and  of  no  other  covenant,  -  -       161 

— —  VL  It  cannot  be  determined  what  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant 
requires,  and  wherein  a  real  compliance  with  it  doth  consist,  so 
that  any  man  can  ever  know  that  he  has  complied  with  it,  168 

.  VII.     Various  distinctions  stated,  to  render  the  subject  more  easy 

to  be  understood  by  Christians  of  the  weakest  capacities,  and  to 
enable  them  to  answer  the  usual  objections,  at  least  to  their 
own  satisfaction,  -  -  -  -174 

'  VIII.     Mr.  Mather's  scheme  inconsistent  with  itself,       -  -       186 

JL  careful  and  strict  Examination  of  the  external  Covenant,  and  of  the 
principles  by  -which  it  is  supported:  a  Reply  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mather's 
piece,  entitled,  "  The  Visible  Church  in  Covenant  -with  God,  further 
illustrated?  S3c.    A  Vindication  of  the  plan  on  which  the  Churchet    '* 
in  New-England  vere  triginaUy  formed,  &c. 

Preface,  -  -  -  -      203 

Introduction,  .  -      211 

Section  I.     The  nature  of  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  as  stated  by  him- 
self, under  the  notion  of  a  conditional  covenant,  -       215 
:  •          II.     Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  represented  by  him  as  uncondi- 
tional, examined  in  this  view  of  it,           -             .             -   •  226 


ir  CONTENTS. 

Section  III.    The  perfection  of  the  divine  law,  and  total  depravity,  incon- 
sistent with  the  notion  of  an  external   covenant  appointed  by 
God  for  the  unregenerate,   as  such,  to   enter  into,  requiring 
graceless  qualifications,  and  nothing  else,  as  the  conditions  of  its 
blessings,          .......       237 

ii  IV.     A  view  of  the  exhortations  and  promises  of  the  Gospel :  and 

the  true  reason  pointed  out  why  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate 
do  not  entitle  to  the  blessings  promised,  ...       24S 

i.          V.     Impenitent,  self-righteous,  Christless  sinners,  are  under  the 
curse  of  the  law  of  God.     But  this  is  inconsistent  with  their  be- 
ing in  covenant  with  God,  in  good  standing  in  his  sight,  by  any 
works  which  they  do,  while  such,         ....       265 

•          VI-     The  nature  of  the  enmity  of  the  carnal  mind  against  God, 
and  whether  it  remains,  notwithstanding  the  revelation  of  God's 
readiness  to  be  reconciled  to  men,         ....       290 

•  •         VII.    Whether  the  Gospel  calls  fallen  men  to  be  reconciled  to 

that  character  of  God  against  which  they  are  at  enmity,  -       314 

VIII.     How  it  was  possible  for  Adam  before  the  fall,  to  love  that 

character  of  God  whi»H  was  exhibited  to  him  in  the  law,  con- 
sistently with  the  love  of  his  own  UapPinesS|  .  .       327 
-         IX.     The   Christian  creed,  the  Arminiau  creed,  and   \f  r   TVI.'s 

creed ;  remarks  on  each,         -  -  -  •  ,,.        .       333 

— —  X.     Mr.  M.'s  scheme  inconsistent  with  itself,  .  -       343 

•        XI.     The  extraordinary  methods   Vi  r.  M.  takes  to  support  his 

own  scheme,  and  to  keep  himself  in  countenance,         -  .       350 

A  Letter  to  Scripturista,  .       871 

TJte  Half-way    Covenant :    a  Dialogue  bef-xeen  a  Minister  and  his 

Parishioner. 
Dialogue  I.         -  -      393 

II.        -  -      405 

III.       -  -       413 

IV.      -  -  -      426 

Early  Piety  recommended  ;  a  Discourse  on  Eccles.  xii.  1.  -      447 

The  great  Evil  of  sin,  as  committed  against  God  :  a  Sermon,  -      495 

Index  to  the  whole  work,  *  531 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER 


GAtATIANS  111.  24. 

Wherefore  the  law  was  our  School-Master  to  bring  us  unto 
CHRIST,  that  we  might  be  justified  by  faith. 

THE  chief  design  of  the  present  discourse  is  to  give  the 
true  sense  of  this  text ;  which  will  go  far  towards  leading  us 
into  the  nature  of  the  Jewish  religion,  and  of  the  Christian  ; 
and  help  to  remove  several  dangerous  mistakes,  which  man- 
kind have  been  apt  to  run  into.  Now,  in  order  to  under- 
stand any  text  of  Scripture,  we  are  to  consider  the  various 
circumstances  of  the  discourse  ;  such  as  the  character  of 
the  persons  spoken  to,  the  manner  how  the  text  is  introduced, 
and  for  what  purpose ;  that  we,  seeing  the  occasion  of 
what  is  written,  and  the  scope  and  design  of  the  inspired 
writer,  may  the  more  readily  and  certainly  discern  the  true 
sense  of  the  passage.  Here,  therefore,  let  us  inquire  into 
the  character  of  the  persons  St.  Paul  had  to  deal  with  ;  the 
occasion  and  design  of  these  words,  and  how  they  were  in- 
troduced in  the  thread  of  his  argument ;  and  the  grounds 
he  saw  in  the  nature  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation  for  this  ob- 
servation, that  the  law  was  a  school-master  to  bring  us  to 
Christ. 

I.  As  to  the  character  of  the  persons  St.  Paul  had  to  deal 
with.  They,  at  least  the  ring-leaders  of  them,  were  by 
birth  Jews,  by  education  Pharisees,  and  now  lately  convert- 
ed to  Christianity  ;  but  yet  zealous  for  some  of  their  old 
Pharisaical  notions,  fond  of  making  proselytes  to  their  own 
scheme,  a  scheme,  in  the  apostle's  opinion,  subversive  of 
Christianity. 

While  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees,  before  their  conver- 
sion to  Christianity,  they  expected  justification  wholly  by 
the  deeds  of  the  law.  (Rom.  x.  3.)  But  now,  since  their 
conversion  to  Christianity,  they  expected  justification  by  the 
deeds  of  the  law ;  and  yet  it  seems  not  wholly ;  for  they 
VOL  in.  2 


10  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

hoped  that  Christ  would  profit  them  some,  be  of  some  effect, 
and  they  had  some  dependence  on  grace,  as  is  implied  in  the 
apostle's  manner  of  reasoning  in  Gal.  v.  2,  3,  4.  As  to  their 
notions  of  the  law  of  Moses,  by  which  they  expected  justi- 
fication, it  seems  they  considered  it,  not  at  all  as  a  dispensa- 
tion preparatory  to  Christianity,  suited  to  show  them  their 
need  of  Christ,  and  to  lead  them  to  faith  in  him  by  types 
and  shadows;  but  only  as  a  rule  of  life,  to  which,  if  they  con- 
formed, they  should  be  saved.  And  it  seems  they  did  not 
doubt,  but  that  such  a  conformity  tp  it  as  they  were  capable 
of,  would  answer  the  end.  Little  considering,  that  if  they 
depended  upon  their  circumcision,  and  their  other  works  for 
life,  they  were  obliged  to  keep  the  whole  law.  Just  as,  now-a- 
days,  there  are  those  who  ignorantly  imagine,  that  if  they 
endeavour  to  do  as  well  as  they  can,  they  shall  be  saved  j 
little  thinking,  that  if  they  depend  upon  their  own  righteous- 
ness for  salvation,  they  ought  to  yield  a  perfect  obedience, 
as  they  would  not  finally  be  disappointed. 

Had  they  viewed  the  law  of  Moses  as  a  dispensation  pre- 
paratory to  Christianity,  they  might  more  readily  have  seen 
the  propriety  of  its  being  abolished,  and  giving  place  to  the 
Gospel  of  Christ;  but  while  they  considered  it,  with  all  its 
rites  and  ceremonies,  only  as  a  rule  to  which  they  were  to 
conform,  as  a  condition  of  salvation,  Christ  only  making  up 
for  their  deficiencies,  it  was  natural  to  think  it  of  perpetual 
obligation ;  and  that  not  only  to  themselves,  but  also  to  the 
Gentile  converts.  When  therefore  they  observed  St.  Paul 
constantly  preaching  justification  byjaith  alone  without  the 
>  deeds  of  the  law,  and  the  Gentile  converts  received  and  em- 
braced as  good  Christians,  without  their  paying  any  regard 
to  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Mosaic  law,  they  were  cha- 
grined, and  set  up  themselves  to  oppose  St.  Paul,  affirming, 
"that  unless  the  Gentile  converts  were  circumcised  and 
kept  the  law  of  Moses,  they*could  not  be  saved.''  Acts  xv. 
1.5. 

And  as  the  Jews  were,  in  those  early  times,  the  greatest 
enemies  Christianity  had,  and  the  most  bitter  persecutors,  en- 
raged to  see  the  rites  of  Moses'  law  neglected  ;  so  these 
Pharisaical  Christians,  by  their  zeal  for  Moses'  law,  ingrati- 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  11 

atcd  themselves  very  much  in  the  favour  of  these  bitter  ene- 
mies of  Christianity,  which  made  them  the  more  zealous  in 
their  way,  that  they  might  not  only  avoid  persecution  from 
the  unbelieving  Jews,  but  also  have  it  to  glory  in,  that  they 
had  proselyted  so  many  Gentiles  to  be  circumcised.  Gal.  vi. 
12,  13.  So  that  they  were  not  only  bigoted  to  their  scheme 
by  their  education  while  Jews,  and  attached  to  it,  as  it  suited 
their  self-righteous  temper;  but  also  proud  of  it,  as  it  freed 
them  from  the  chief  odium  of  Christianity,  and  screened 
them  from  the  malice  of  its  bitterest  enemies.  And  they 
were  in  some  places  more  than  a  match  for  St.  Paul,  with  all 
his  extraordinary  gifts.  They  raised  such  a  dust  at  Antioch, 
as  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  could  not  settle  the  point ;  but 
were  obliged  to  refer  it  to  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem.  And 
they  made  such  sad  work  in  the  churches  in  Galatia,  that 
although  the  converts  there  once  could  have  even  plucked 
out  their  eyes,  and  given  to  St.  Paul,  yet  they  were  now  much 
disaffected  towards  him,  and  even  become  his  enemies.  And 
these  seducers  were  in  eminent  danger  of  even  overthrowing 
Christianity  in  all  that  country;  which  at  last  obliged  St. 
Paul  to  write  this  Epistle  to  the  several  churches  in  Galatia. 

II.  Now,  these  were  the  men  the  apostle  had  to  deal  with  ; 
and  the  method  he  took,  which  was  wisely  adapted  to  let  in 
light  upon  their  minds  and  thoroughly  convince  their  judg- 
ments, may  be  fully  seen,  if  we  carefully  read  through  this 
epistle :  but  I  may  now  only  give  you  a  brief  and  cursory 
view  of  some  parts  of  it,  just  to  let  you  see  his  manner  of  ad- 
dress, and  his  wav  of  reasoning,  and  how  our  text  is  intro- 
duced in  the  thread  of  the  apostle's  argument.  Which  take 
as  follows : 

"  This  epistle  is  sent  to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  from 
Paul,  an  apostle,  who  received  his  mission  not  of  men,  nei- 
ther by  men,  but  immediately  from  Jesus  Christ. ;  and  it  is 
approved  by  all  the  brethren  with  him,  and  it  comes  wishing 
you  all  blessings.  But  I  am  astonished  and  greatly  marvel, 
after  all  the  pains  I  have  taken  with  you  to  instruct  you  into 
the  true  nature  of  Christianity,  to  see  you  so  soon  drawn 
away  by  these  seducers,  to  quite  another  kind  of  a  Gospel ; 
which  indeed  is  no  Gospel ;  but  is  a  most  dangerous  scheme/ 


12  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

These  seducers,  how  plausible  soever  they  appear,  ought  not 
to  be  regarded.  Yea,  if  an  angel  from  heaven  should  preach 
any  other  Gospel,  than  that  I  have  preached,  let  him  be  AC- 
CURSED. I  speak  plainly;  for  I  am  no  TRIMMER.  I  do 
not  make  it  my  ultimate  end  to  please  man  ;  but  mean,  in  the 
uprightness  of  my  heart,  to  be  faithful  to  Jesus  Christ.  And 
I  know  I  received  the  Gospel  I  preached  to  you  by  immedi- 
ate revelation  from  God,  after,  as  it  was  publicly  known,  I 
had  been  exceedingly  zealous  in  the  Pharisaical  scheme  ; 
being  met  with  in  a  very  extraordinary  manner,  as  I  was 
going  to  Damascus.  Ever  since  which  time  I  have  con- 
stantly preached  this  Gospel ;  being  instructed  not  even  by 
any  of  the  Apostles,  but  by  immediate  revelation.  And  I 
have  constantly  maintained,  that  the  Gentiles  need  not  be 
circumcised,  or  keep  the  law  of  Moses ;  and  that  no  man  is 
justified  by  the  deeds  of  the  law,  but  only  by  faith  in  Christ, 
&c.  Chapters  i.  and  ii. 

"  Not  that  I  countenance  licentiousness.  For  at  the  same 
time,  that  I  through  the  law  am  dead  to  all  hopes  of  justifica- 
tion by  the  law,  1  am  but  hereby  prepared  to  live  with  a  sin- 
gle eye  to  the  glory  of  God  :  still  having  all  my  hopes  of 
acceptance  founded  on  Christ.  And  indeed  1  could  not  con- 
sistently preach  up  justification  by  the  law.  For  if  I  did,  I 
should  quite  overthrow  the  Gospel.  For  if  righteousness  and 
justification  ceme  by  the  law,  and  is  to  be  obtained  by 
our  own  works,  then  there  was  no  need  of  Christ.  But  he  is 
dead  in  vain.  Chap.  ix.  17-21. 

"  O  foolish,  infatuated  Galatians,  may  I  not  appeal  even  to 
your  own  experience  ?  Cannot  you  recollect  that  an  extra- 
ordinary out-pouring  of  the  Spirit,  in  his  miraculous  gifts, 
has  attended  the  preaching  of  the  doctrines  of  grace,  and 
not  of  the  Pharisaical  scheme,  as  in  all  the  churches,  so  also 
among  you  ?  And  is  not  this  a  sufficient  confirmation  that 
they  are  from  God  ?  And  were  not  even  you  yourselves,  con- 
verted to  Christianity  by  these  doctrines,  attended  with  a  di- 
vine influence  ?  And  can  you  think  to  perfect  yourselves  now 
by  going  off"  from  this  spiritual,  divine  scheme,  to  one  so 
mean  and  low?  Chap.  iii.  1 — 5. 


THb  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  13 

"  And  this  indeed  is  not  any  new  doctrine.  It  is  the  old 
way  of  justification.  Your  father  Abraham  was,  two  thou- 
sand years  ago,  justified  in  this  way.  And  in  this  way  all  his 
children  are  justified."  Ver.  6 — 9. 

Besides,  you  cannot  be  justified  by  the  law,  if  }TOU  are  ever 
so  desirous  of  it.  All  your  hopes  are  built  upon  ignorant  and 
mistaken  notions.  For  it  is  evident  that  the  law  requires  sin- 
less perfection  under  the  severest  penalty.  Therefor^,  so  far 
from  being  justified  will  you  be,  if.you  adhere  to  this  way  of 
justification,  that  every  man  of  you,  who  does  so,  will  in- 
evitably fall  under  the  curse.  For  it  is  expressly  written, 
cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which 
are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them.  Ver.  10.  And 
therefore  see  you  remember,  that  if  you  are  circumcised,  and 
intend  to  be  saved  by  the  law,  that  you  yield  a  sinless  per- 
fection. For  I,  Paul,  assure  every  man  of  you  that  is  circum- 
cised under  that  notion,  that  he  is  a  debtor  to  keep  the 
whole  law  ;  he  is  bound  to  yield  a  perfect  obedience,  as  he 
hopes  to  be  saved.  For  if  you  go  this  way  to  obtain  justifica- 
tion, I  assure  you,  whatever  you  think,  Christ  will  profit  you 
nothing.  You  shall,  however,  you  may  flatter  yourselves, 
have  no  benefit  from  him.  But  must  stand,  or  fall,  as  you 
yield  a  perfect  obedience,  or  not."  Chap.  v.  2,  3,  4  *. 


a  An  Jlrminian  might  justly  query — Why  did  not  the  Galatians  reply  to  St. 
Paul,  and  say,  "  Sir,  you  quite  abuse  us,  we  have  no  notion  of  being  justified  by 
law  in  your  sense.  We  only  depend  upon  our  sincere  obedience,  and  hope  and 
expect  to  receive  some  benefit  from  Christ,  and  free  grace,  as  you  are  sensible. 
We  are,  in  the  main,  exactly  of  your  mind.  The  dispute  is  only  about  words. 
We  mean  the  same  thing  you  do.  For  when  you  say,  that  a  man  is  justified  by 
faith  -without  the  deeds  of  the  lav,  you  only  mean  that  he  is  justified  by  sincere 
obedience,  and  not  by  perfect—  And  this  is  just  the  thing  we  would.  And  you 
yourself  know  we  do  not  pretend  to  perfect  obedience.  Why  then  do  you  bear 
down  so  very  hard  upon  us  ?  And  even  pronounce  the  man  ACCURSED,  that 
teaches  our  scheme  ?  Pretending  that  it  is  so  essentially  different  from  yours, 
We  think  we  obey  God  in  being  circumcised,  and  observing  the  rites  of  Moses* 
law.  And  you  think  you  obey  God  in  not  doing  these  things.  We  own  we  have 
been  too  uncharitable  in  thinking  none  could  be  saved,  unless  they  were  circum- 
cised and  kept  the  law  of  Moses.  But  if  Uus  is  all  the  error  we  are  in,  you  arf 
full  as  uncharitable  towards  us,  to  doom  us  to  destruction  for  such  a  mistake. 
Therefore,  being  now  willing  to  give  up  this  one  point  as  for  all  the  rest,  we 
think  your  own  words  will  equally  suit  us  both.  Rom.  xiv.  3,  4.  Let  n$t  him  that 


14  THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTEK. 

"  And  if  to  all  this  yo.u  should  object,  and  say,  And 
what  was  the  law  given  for,  if  we  are  not  to  be  justified  by  it  ? 
I  reply,  it  was  given  to  answer  many  wise  ends ;  as  for  in- 
stance, to  check  and  restrain  vice.  Chap.  iii.  19.  But  espe- 
cially to  be  .a  school-master,  to  bring  us  to  Christ,  that  we 
might  be  justified  by  faith.  For  by  the  law  all  sin  was  for- 
bid under  the  highest  penalty.  And  so  by  it  we  were  shut 
up  under  sin  and  condemnation,  and  shut  up  to  the  faith. 
There  was  no  way  to  escape  the  curse,  but  by  faith.  All  other 
ways  were  shut  up.  And  thus  the  law  was  to  teach  us  our 
need  of  Christ  and  free  grace,  and  to  bring  us  to  look  this 
way  for  justification  and  eternal  life."  Ver.  22,  23,  24.  And 
thus  we  see  the  occasion  of  the  words,  and  how  they  were 
introduced  in  the  thread  of  the  apostle's  argument. 

III.  And  now,  that  we  may  more  fully  understand  them, 
let  us  turn  back  to  the  sacred  books  of  Moses,  and  take  a 
view  of  the  law  given  on  Mount  Sanai,  that  we  may  see 
what  foundation  there  was  in  that  dispensation,  for  this  ob- 
servation of  the  inspired  apostle. 

Let  us  begin  with  the  IQth  Chapter  of  Exodus,  and  see 
the  particular  steps  divine  wisdom  took  to  introduce  that  dis- 
pensation, after  that  God  had  already  in  general  prepared  the 
way  for  it,  by  redeeming  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt, 
by  an  out-stretehed  hand,  by  signs  and  wonders,  and  led  them 
through  the  Red  sea.  Two  months  they  had  now  been  in 

eateth  despise  him  that  eateth  not.  And  let  not  Mm  that  eateth  not  judge  him 
that  eateth.  Who  art  thou  that  judge st  another  man's  servant  ?  For  as  to  the 
terms  of  justification,  that  one  mistake  excepted,  we  are  exactly  of  your  mind." 

And  had  St.  Paul  been  in  the  same  scheme  with  our  modern  Arminians,  I 
do  not  see  how  he  could  have  answered  them  :  being  obliged  to  own,  as  he  would 
have  been,  that  their  notions  about  justification  were  right  in  the  main,  although 
he  had  condemned  them  by  wholesale. 

But  if  St.  Paul  denied  justification  by  any  kind  of  obedience  short  of  abso- 
lute perfection,  how  sincere  soever  it  might  be,  as  it  is  plain  he  did  ;  then  there 
was  no  room  for  the  Galatians  to  maJCe  this  reply  to  his  manner  of  arguing.  Nor 
is  there  any  more  room  for  the  Arminiau  way  of  justification  by  sincere  obedience, 
consistent  with  the  apostle's  way  of  reasoning. — For  if  they  will  be  justified  by 
their  obedience,  Christ  will  profit  them  nothing,  will  make  up  for  none  of  their 
defects.  They  therefore  must  yield  a  perfect  obedience,  or  fall  under  the  curse  ; 
but  they  do  not  yield  a  perfect  obedience.  As  many  therefore  as  are  not  only  in 
head,  but  in  heart,  in  the  Arminian  scheme,  are  under  the  CURSE,  according: 
to  St.  Paul.  Gal.  iii.  10. 


THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER.  15 

the  wilderness,  (miraculously  supplied  were  they  with  water 
out  of  the  flinty  rock,  and  with  bread  from  heaven,)  when 
they  came  to  the  mount  of  God,  and  all  to  teach  them,  that 
the  God  of  Abraham  was  the  MOST  HIGH  GOD  ;  and  to  make 
them  sensible  that  they  were  under  the  greatest  and  strongest 
obligations  to  him. 

Israel  pitched  in  the  wilderness  of  Sinai,  and  there  they 
camped  before  the  mount.  And  that  it  might  be  seen  whe- 
ther they  would  receive  his  law,  God  called  unto  Moses  out 
of  the  mountain,  and  sent  him  to  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  bid 
him  tell  the  children  of  Israel,  "  ye  have  seen  what  I  did 
unto  the  Egyptians,  and  how  I  bare  you  on  eagles'  wings, 
and  brought  you  unto  myself.  Now  therefore,  if  ye  will  obey 
my  voice  indeed,  and  keep  my  covenant,  then  ye  shall  be  a 
peculiar  treasure  to  me  above  all  people.  For  all  the  earth  is 
mine."  To  which  the  children  of  Israel  made  answer,  "  All 
that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  will  we  do."  "  And  Moses  told 
the  words  of  the  people  unto  the  Lord."  And  the  Lord  sent 
him  to  sanctify  the  people  that  day,  and  the  next,  that  they 
might  be  ready  against  the  third  day,  when  he  would  come 
down  in  the  sight  of  all  the  people  upon  Mount  Sinai. — 
"  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  third  day  in  the  morning,  that 
there  were  thunders  and  lightnings,  and  a  thick  cloud  upon 
the  mount,  and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  exceeding  loud,  so 
that  all  the  people  that  was  in  the  camp  trembled."  Upon  which 
"  Moses  brought  forth  the  people  out  of  the  camp  to  meet  with 
God.  And  Mount  Sinai,"  to  look  to,  "  was  altogether  on  a 
smoke.  And  the  smoke  thereof  ascended  as  the  smoke  of  a 
furnace.  And  the  whole  mount  quaked  greatly.  And  the  voice 
of  the  trumpet  sounded  long,  and  waxed  louder  and  louder." 
Exod.  xix.  "  And  the  sight  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord  was  like 
DEVOURING  FIRE  on  the  top  of  the  Mount,  in  the  eyes  of  the 
children  of  Israel."  Chap.  xxiv.  17.  And  all  this,  to  fill  the 
hearts  of  the  whole  congregation  with  a  sense  of  the  greatness 
and  majesty  of  God,  and  their  infinite  obligations  to  be  obedient. 
Now  from  the  mountain,  with  all  these  solemn  and  awful 
things  attending,  God  gave  forth  his  law,  with  a  voice  so  ex- 
ceeding loud,  as  to  be  heard  by  the  whole  congregation, 
containing  perhaps  near  three  millions  of  souls.  Which  filled 


1(5  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

the  whole  congregation  with  so  great  terror,  that  they  be- 
sought that  God  would  not  speak  any  further  to  them  in  this 
awfal  manner,  lest  they  should  die  under  it.  Chap.  xx. 
18,  19. 

"  And  God  spake  all  these  words,  saying, 

"I  AM  THE  LORD  THY  GOD,  which  have  brought  thee 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  ©f  the  house  of  bondage." 

"Thou  shall  have  no  other  gods  before  me." 

"  Thou  shalt  riot  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image,"  &,c. 

"Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in 
vain,"  &c. 

"  Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy,"  Sic.  &c. 
&c. 

Even  ten  Commandments. 

The  sum  of  all  which  was,  "  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart ;  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 

And  it  was  charged  upon  the  children  of  Israel,  when 
they  had  passed  over  Jordan,  that  they  should  stand,  part 
on  Mount  Gerizzirn,  and  part  on  Mount  Ebal  ;  and  that 
the  Levites  should  say,  "  CURSED  be  the  man  that  maketh 
any  graven,  or  molten  image,"  &c.  "  And  all  the  people  shall 
say,  AMEN."  And  the  CURSE  was  to  be  repeated  twelve 
times,  according  to  the  number  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel, 
and  all  the  people  were  to  say,  Amen.  And  to  sum  up  the 
whole,  the  Levites  were  to  say,  "  CURSED  be  the  man  that 
confirmeth  not  all  the  words  of  this  law  to  do  them."  (Or, 
acdording  to  St.  Paul,  "that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them.")  "  And  all  the 
people  shall  say,  Amen."  Thus  the  law,  as  requiring  sinless 
perfection  under  the  penalty  of  the  CURSE,  was,  in  this  pub- 
lic manner,  and  with  the  utmost  solemnity,  to  be  approved 
by  the  whole  congregation,  as  holy,  just,  and  good.  And  all 
the  people  shall  say,  AMEN.  Deut.  xxvii. 

In  case  of  any  tran  sgressiou,  the  only  way  provided  and 
prescribed  to  obtain  pardon,  was  by  shedding  of  blood.  And 
without  shedding  of  blood  there  was  no  remission  b.  The 
transgressor  was  to  bring  a  bullock  for  a  sin-offering  to  the 

A  Heb.  ix.  22. 


THE  LAW    OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  17 

tabernacle,  and  present  it  before  the  Lord  ;  and  having  laid 
his  hands  on  the  head  of  the  bullock,  the  priest  was  to  slay 
him,  sprinkle  the  blood,  burn  the  bullock,  and  so  make  an 
atonement  for  the  sin.  And  in  this  way  it  should  be  for- 
given •. 

Once  in  every  year,  on  the  great  day  of  atonement,  the 
High-Priest,  dressed  in  his  holy  robes,  with  the  names  of  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel  on  his  heart,  and  with  the  blood  of  atone- 
ment in  his  hands,  was  to  enter  into  the  most  holy  place,  even 
into  the  immediate  presence  of  God,  who  dwelt  there,  over  the 
mercy-seat,  in  the  cloud  of  glory,  to  make  atonement  for  the 
whole  congregation.  After  which,  on  the  same  solemn  day, 
the  High-Priest  was  to  lay  both  his  hands  on  the  head  of  'a 
live  goat,  and  confess  over  him  all  the  iniquities  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  and  all  their  transgressions  in  all  their  sins,  putting 
them  on  the  head  of  the  goat,  and  then  send  him  away  by 
the  hand  of  a  fit  man  into  the  wilderness :  and  the  goat  was  to 
bear  upon  him  all  their  iniquities,  unto  a  land  not  inhabited  d. 

And  thus  the  law,  by  its  requiring  perfect  obedience,  and 
denouncing  a  CURSE  for  the  least  failing,  discovered  the  ne- 
cessity of  an  atonement.  And  thus  the  law  by  its  sin-offer- 
ings, and  its  blood  of  atonement,  and  its  scape-goat,  pointed 
out  Christ.  And  thus  the  law  was  in  its  nature  suited  to  be  a 
school-master  to  bring  them  to  Christ,  that  they  might  be 
justified  by  faith. 

IV.  But  that  this  point  may  stand  in  the  clearest  light, 
and  the  justness  of  the  apostle's  observation  be  seen  in  the 
plainest  manner,  these  following  particulars  may  be  distinctly 
noted  and  illustrated  : 

1.  "  That  the  law  given  on  Mount  Sinai  required  sinless 
perfection  of  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel."  If  sinless 
perfection  be  defined  to  be  "a  feeling  and  acting  towards  in- 
telligent beings,  as  being  what  they  are,"  this  their  law  re- 
quired. For  it  required  them  "  to  love  God  with  all  their 
heart,  and  obey  him  in  every  thing  ;  and  to  love  their  neigh- 
bours as  themselves,  and  to  do  as  they  would  be  done  bv." 
Which  would  have  been  to  feel  and  act  towards  God  and 
their  neighbours  as  being  just  what  they  were.  Or,  if  sinless 

c  Lev.  iv.  d  Lev.  xvi. 

VOL.  III. 


18  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

perfection  consists  in  always  doing  that  "  which  is  right,  and 
fit,  and  beautiful  to  be  done,  all  things  considered  ;"  still  it 
comes  to  the  same  thing.  To  love  God  with  all  our  heart, 
and  obey  him  in  every  thing ;  and  to  love  our  neighbours  as 
ourselves,  and  do  as  we  would  by  done  by,  is  the  sum  of 
what  is  to  be  done  by  us,  "as  right,  and  fit,  and  beautiful." 
Or,  if  sinless  perfection  consists  in  a  perfect  conformity  of 
heart  and  life  to  the  will  and  law  of  God,"  this  was  plainly 
required.  For  it  is  essential  to  every  law,  to  require  an  ex- 
act, and  entire  conformity  to  itself.  And  it  is  a  plain  contra- 
diction to  suppose  that  God  did  not  require  them  to  do  all 
that  he  did  require  them  to  do.  They  were  always  to  obey 
God,  and  never  to  disobey  him.  And  the  law  respected 
their  hearts  and  lives,  their  thoughts,  words,  and  actions ;  all 
their  inward  tempers,  and  all  their  outward  behaviour.  And 
it  was  never  lawful  for  them  to  commit  the  least  sin,  or  to 
omit  the  least  duty  ;  but  as  to  all  things  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law,  they  were  to  do  them.  And, 

2.  "This  perfect  obedience  was  the  condition  upon  which 
the  law  promised  life."  "  Ye  shall  keep  my  statutes,  and  my 
judgments,  which  if  a  man  do,  he  shall  live  in  them"  Lev. 
xviii.  5.  This  is  repeated  four  times  more  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment ;  once  in  Neh.  ix.  2Q.  thrice  in  Ezek.  xx.  II.  13.  21. 
And  twice  in  the  New  Testament;  once  in  Rom.  x.  5.  and 
once  in  Gal.  iii.  12. 

And  that  this  lift,  thus  promised  in  Moses'  law  upon  con- 
dition of  perfect  obedience,  implied  in  it  ETERNAL  LIFE  and 
happiness,  is  evident  from  the  testimony  of  our  blessed  Sa- 
viour, in  Luke  x.  25.28.  "  What  "shall  I  do  to  inherit  ETERNAL 
LIFE  ?"  said  a  certain  Jew  to  Christ.  To  whom  our  Sa- 
viour replied,  turning  him  back  to  the  law  of  Moses,  with 
these  questions,  f(  what  is  written  in  the  law  ?  How  readest 
thou  ?"  To  which  the  man  answered  and  said,  "  thou  shall 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with*all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind;  and 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself."  This  he  gives  as  the  sum  of 
Moses'  law.  To  which  our  Saviour  replied,  "  Thou  hast 
answered  right.  This  do,  and  thou  shalt  live  ;"  i.  e.  inherit 
ETERNAL  LIFE.  The  same  reply  our  Saviour  made  to  an- 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  19 

other  man,  who  also  came  to  him,  to  know  tthat  he  should 
do  that  he  might  have  ETERNAL  LIFE.  "  If  thou  wilt  enter  in- 
to life,  keep  tlie  commandments/'  said  our  blessed  Saviour. 
Matt.  xix.  16,  17'  It  is  plain,  that  in  both  these  passages, 
our  Saviour  means  to  declare  how  eternal  life  was  to  be  ob- 
tained by  the  law.  And  he  gives  the  same  answer  that  Moses 
had  done  before.  Which,  if  a  man  do  he  shall  live  in  them. 
60  that,  according  to  our  Saviour's  interpretation  of  the  law 
of  Moses,  ETERNAL  LIFE  was  implied  in  the  life  therein 
promised. 

This  also  is  plain  from  the  testimony  of  St.  Paul,  in  Rom. 
x.;  where,  opposing  the  way  to  justification  and  eternal  life 
by  the  law,  to  that  which  is  by  the  Gospel,  and  showing  the 
difference,  he  says,  ver.  5.  "  Moses  describeth  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  of  the  law,  that  the  man  that  doth  those  things 
shall  live  by  them."  And  then  adds,  ver.  6.  "  that  the 
righteousness  which  is  by  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise,  &c.  &c. 
He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved."  Ver.  9,  10.  compared  with 
Gal.  iii.  12.  :  where  he  intimates  that  the  law  does  not  pro- 
mise justification  to  faith,  but  to  perfect  obedience;  plainly 
taking  it  for  granted,  that  the  life  promised  in  the  law  im- 
plied ETERNAL  LIFE.  I  have  insisted  the  longer  on  this,  be- 
cause, if  the  life  promised  in  Moses'  law  implied  eternal 
life,  no  doubt,  the  death  threatened,  implied  eternal  death  : 
which  seems  to  be  the  meaning  of  Rom.  vi.  23.  "  the  wages/' 
(i.  e.  according  to  law,)  "  of  sin  is  death."  i.  e.  Eternal  death 
and  misery.  Even  as  "  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Therefore  I  may  venture  to  affirm, 

3.  "That  the  CURSE  threatened  in  Moses' law  against 
the  man  that  broke  it  in  any  one  point,  implied  in  it  ETER- 
NAL DAMNATION,  and  that  without  any  abatements  made  on 
account  of  their  inability.'' 

How  great  their  impotency  was,  whether  from  their  na- 
tive corruption,  or  from  their  contracted  bad  habits,  I  shall 
not  pretend  now  to  determine.  But,  as  they  were  descend- 
ants of  Adam,  and  had  been  educated  in  Egypt ;  so,  I  sup- 
pose, they  were,  at  least,  as  bad  as  the  generality  of  mankind. 
But  be  it  so,  they  were  ever  so  bad,  ever  so  disinclined  to  yield 
this  perfect  obedience  in  heart  and  life,  yet  the  law  is  not 


20  THll    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER. 

brought  down  to  their  vitiated  taste,  and  corrupt  hearts ;  hut 
they  are  still  required  to  love  God  with  all  their  hearts,  and 
obey  him  in  every  thing,  under  the  penalty  of  the  curse. 

Now  that  the  law  did  curse  every  one,  who  continued  not 
in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them,  is 
plain,  from  Deut.  xxvii. ;  and  that  this  curse  comprised  the  sum 
total  of  the  punishment  due  to  sin,  according  to  the  law,  there 
is  no  doubt.  And  that  ETERNAL  DAMNATION  was  implied 
in  the  punishment  threatened  in  the  law,  and  comprised  in 
the  curse  in  Deut.  xxvii.  I  think  is  evident. 

.For  otherwise  the  wicked  Jews,  who  died  in  their  sins,  were 
not  exposed  to  hell.  But  we  see  they  were  exposed  to  hell, 
from  the  representation  Christ  gives  in  his  parable  of  the 
rich  man  and  Lazarus.  te  The  rich  man  died  and  was  buri- 
ed, and  in  HELL  he  lift  up  his  eyes  being  in  torments."  Luke 
xvi.  2'2,  23.  This  parable  was  spoken  to  the  Jews  then  un- 
der Moses'  law.  But  they  could  not  have  been  exposed  to 
hell,  unless  it  were  by  their  own  law  ;  for  St.  Paul  expressly 
affirms,  that  they  should  be  judged  by  that,  and  by  no  other. 
"•  As  many  as  have  sinned  in  the  law,  shall  he  judged  by  the 
•law  e."  And  therefore,  if  their  law  had  not  threatened  hell, 
they  would  not  have  been  exposed  unto  it^. 

Besides  if  the  Jews,  who  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  divine  re- 
velation, were  not  exposed  to  hell  for  their  sins,  it  is  not  to 
be  supposed  that  the  benighted  Gentiles  were.  +\nd  if  nei- 
ther Jew  nor  Gentile  were  in  danger  of  hell,  previous  to  the 
coming  of  Christ,  why  did  Christ  come,  and  die,  to  save  both 
Jew  and  Gentile  from  the  rcrath  to  come  f. 

Indeed  it  is  plain  from  the  three  first  chapters  of  the  Episilc 
to  the  Romans,  that  St.  Paul  takes  it  for  granted,  as  an  indis- 
putable point,  that  the  Jews  by  their  law,  as  well  as  the  Gen- 
tiles by  the  law  of  nature,  were  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God  for 
the  least  sin  «  :  and  that  this  wrath  should  be  revealed  and 
executed  at  the  day  of  judgment11 ;  when,  as  we  know,  the 
wicked  of  all  nations  are  to  go  away  into  everlasting  punish- 
ment '.  .So  that  if  the  New  Testament  may  be  allowed  to  ex- 
plain the  Old,  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  eternal  damnation 

e  Rom.  ii.  12.         /  I  Thes.  i.  10.         _§•  Rom.  i.  18. 
//  Chnp.  ii.  5,  C.  i  Matt.  xxv.  46. 


THE  LAW  OUU  SCHOOL-MASTER.  21 

was  implied  in  the  curse  of  Moses'  law.  And  every  unbias- 
sed reader  will  naturally  view  that  passage  in  Gal.  iii.  10.  13. 
in  this  light.  "  As  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are 
under  the  curse.  For  it  is  written,  cursed  is  every  one  that 
continuetli  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to 
do  them.  But  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  that  the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come  upon  us." 
For  as  the  blessing  of  Abraham  implied  eternal  life  and  hap- 
piness ;  so  the  curse  of  the  law  from  which  Christ  redeemed 
us,  implied  eternal  death  and  misery;  as  St.  Paul  viewed  the 
case  k.  So  that,  as  the  law  required  sinless  perfection  of  the 
whole  congregation  of  Israel,  and  promised  eternal  life  upon 

k  OBJ.  "  Grant  it,  when  St.  Paul  says,  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  tlie 
curse  of  the  late,  that  by  the  curse  he  means  eternal  damnation  ;  and  by  tlie  laic, 
he  means  the  law  of  Moses  :  yet  how  could  St.  Paul  justly  give  this  sense  to 
the  curse  of  Moses'  law,  which  seems  to  intend  nothing  more  than  temporal  judg- 
ments ?  As  it  is  written,  Deut.  xxviii.  16,  17.  Cursed  shall  thou  be  in  the  city,  and 
cursed  shall  thou  be  in  the  field.  Cursed  shall  be  thy  basket,  and  thy  store' 
And  so  on  for  above  fifty  verses  together,  without  one  word  of  eternal  damnation." 

ANS.  God  designed  the  whole  Jewish  dispensation  as  a  SHADOW  of  spiritu- 
al things. — Their  bondage  in  Egypt  was  a  shadow  of  our  spiritual  bondage  • 
their  redemption  out  of  Egypt,  a  shadow  of  our  redemption  by  Christ.  The  land  o*" 
Canaan,  with  all  the  milk  and  honey,  a  shadow  of  heaven  and  its  eternal  delights  and 
joys.  Their  being  tui  ned  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan  for  their  sins,  and  cursed  in  all 
their  temporal  interests,  a  shadow  of  an  eternal  banishment  from  heaven,  and  of  the 
everlasting  miseries  of  hell :  so  that  the  curse  of  Moses'  law  was,  Li  its  spiritual 
meaning,  of  the  same  import  with  the  curse  that  shall  be  executed  at  tlie  last  day  » 
when  the  judge  shall  say,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  CURSED,  into  everlasting  fire.'* 
Mat.  x\v.  41.  And  accordingly,  St.  Paul  understood  it  so.  This  is  the  true  solution 
of  the  difficulty.  And  it  must  be  quite  satisfactory  to  those  who  believe,  that  the 
Jewish  dispensation  was  by  God  designed  to  be  a  shadow  of  spiritual  things.  For 
this  being  supposed,  and  taken  for  granted,  as  indeed  it  is  every  where  in  tin- 
New  Testament,  St.  Paul  might  be  full  as  certain  what  was  the  spiritual,  as 
what  was  the  literal  sense.  Nor  was  this  spiritual  sense  designed  to  be  wholly 
hid  from  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel,  as  the  learned  Dr.  Warburton  seems 
to  imagine  ;  (vid.  Div.  Leg.  Mos.)  but  rather,  we  ought  to  think,  God  designed 
to  give  them,  some  general  idea  of  the  substance  by  all  those  shadows  whiuu 
were  held  forth  before  their  eyes,  (and  in  which  the  Gofpel  was  preached  tn 
them  :  Heb.  iv.  2.)  because  otherwise  these  shadows  would  have  been  of  no  ser- 
vice to  lead  them  to  look  to  the  promised  Messiah,  who  was  to  come  :  and  :><> 
the  end  for  which  they  were  appointed,  would  have  been  frustrated.  They  were, 
therefore,  not  designed  to  secrete,  but  to  reveal  spiritual  things :  not  indeed 
clearly,  but  yet  to  give  a  shadow  of  them:  and  such  a  shadow,  as  wai  well  suited  to 
load  their  minds  to  the  subftance  ;  as  might  be  largely  shown.  Particular!;  > 


22  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTEB. 

that  condition ;  so  it  threatened  eternal  death  and  misery  for 
the  least  failing :  and  that,  all  their  inability  notwithstand- 
ing. Therefore, 

4.  "  By  the  deeds  of  the  law  no  flesh  could  be  justified  in 
the  sight  of  God  V  But  every  Jew,  whose  conscience  was 
thoroughly  awakened,  would  by  experience  find,  that  the 
law  which  was  ordained  to  life,  which  promised  life  upon  per- 
fect obedience,  did  sentence  him  to  death1".  Indeed  if  the 
law  could  have  given  life,  then  men  might  have  been  justifi- 
ed this  way  n.  And  so  the  death  of  Christ  had  been  needless  ; 
for  if  righteousness  might  have  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ 
had  died  in  vain  °.  But  the  law  was  weak  through  the  fttsh, 
unable  to  give  life  by  reason  of  human  depravity  P.  It  could 
convince  of  sin  *  if  conscience  was  before  ever  so  stupid,  and 
men's  false  hopes  ever  so  high  and  strong;  yet  if  the  com- 
mandment was  set  home,  it  could  cause  sin  to  revive,  and  all 
their  false  hopes  to  die  r.  And  it  could  work  wrath,  and  fill  the 
guilty  creature  with  terror  • ;  for  it  shut  him  up  under  sin  *, 
and  bound  him  over  to  eternal  condemnation  *,  and  so  was  to 
him  a  ministration  of  death  *.  But  it  was  impossible  he 

all  the  curses  written  in  their  law  against  the  sinner,  were  designed  and  suited, 
not  to  hide  and  secrete  the  -wrath  of  God,  but  to  reveal  and  realize  it  to  the  heart. 
And  while  the  guilty  Jew  died  sensibly  under  the  -wrath  of  God,  aikl  curse  of  the 
law,  he  could  have  a  prospect  of  nothing  but  a  miserable  eternity,  nor  expect  any 
tibing  short  of  eternal  damnation  ;  i.  e.  to  continue  for  ever  under  the  wrath  of 
God,  an  accursed  creature.  But  whether  every  reader  shall  think  this  the  true  so- 
lution of  the  difficulty  mentioned  in  the  objection  or  not,  yet  this  is  plain,  that  by  the 
curse,  the  apostle  means  that  eternal  misery  from  which  Christ  redeems  sinners  : 
and  by  the  laiu,  he  means  the  law  of  Moses,  of  which  he  had  been  speaking,  and  out 
of  which  he  had  quoted  the  passage  he  refers  unto,  when  he  says,  Christ  hath 
redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  laio.  Read  Gal.  iii.  10.  and  compare  it  with 
Deut.  xxvii.  26.  and  you  may  see,  it  is  as  evident  as  it  can  be,  that  he  is  speaking 
of  the  curse  oft/Hoses'  laia.  Wherefore  Dr.  Doddridge's  Note  on  Gal.  iii.  13.  is 
not  satisfactory.  But  to  conclude,  if  the  life  promised  in  the  law  of  Moses,  im- 
plied eternal  life,  as  it  is  certain,  from  our  Saviour,  that  it  did  ;  then,  according 
to  the  same  rule  of  interpretation,  the  death  threatened  must  imply  eternal  mise- 
ry ;  aa  we  see  it  did  according  to  St.  Paul.  And  no  doubt  that  interpretation  of 
the  law  of  MOM*  must  be  right,  which  is  thus  confirmed  by  two  such  divine  ex- 
positors. 

I  Rom.  iii.  20.         m  Rom.  vii.  10.         n  Gal.  iii.  21.         o  Gal.  ii.  21. 

p  Rom.  viii.  3.         q  Rom.  iii.  20.         r  Rom.  vii.  9.         «  Rom.  iv.  1 5. 

t  Gal.  iii.  22.  u  Gal.  iii.  10.         x  2  Cor.  iii.  7. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  23 

ihould  ever  obtain  the  favour  of  God  and  eternal  life  this 
way.  For  neither  his  circumcision,  nor  any  of  his  duties, 
would  profit  him,  unless  he  kept  the  whole  law*.  He  was  a 
debtor,  he  was  bound  to  keep  the  whole  law  z,  in  order  to  life. 
Therefore  the  Jew  was  properly  shut  up  under  sin,  guilt,  and 
condemnation,  and  bound  over  to  eternal  wrath,  nor  was 
there  any  other  way  to  obtain  pardon,  but  by  shedding  of 
blood  *.  But  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats  could  not  takt  away 
5i«fc.  Therefore  the  Jew  was  shut  up  from  all  other  ways, 
and  driven  to  an  absolute  necessity  to  look  to  the  promised 
Messiah,  that  he  might  be  justified  by  faith  in  him.  And 
thus  the  law  was  so  constituted,  as  to  be  adapted  not  to  give 
life,  but  to  be  a  school-master  to  bring  them  to  Christ,  that 
they  might  be  justified  by  faith.  Which  will  still  further  ap- 
pear, if  we  consider, 

5.  "  That  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel  were  obliged, 
even  in  the  sight  of  God,  who  searcheth  the  heart,  to  ap- 
prove of  the  law,  in  all  its  rigour,  as  strictly  just."  For  in 
the  most  public  and  solemn  manner,  all  the  congregation  of 
Israel,  when  the  curse  was  denounced  twelve  times  going 
from  Mount  Ebal,  were  twelve  times  to  answer,  and  say, 
AMEN  c.  And  this  was  to  be  in  the  sight  of  God  their  Law- 
giver, who  looks  at  the  heart ;  and  who  would  esteem  their 
saying,  Amen,  a  mere  mockery,  unless  their  hearts  approved 
of  it  at  the  same  time  their  lips  pronounced  Amen  to  it.  And 
indeed,  had  they  not  heartily  approved  the  law,  they  must 
have  appeared  in  the  character  of  enemies  and  rebels,  in 
the  eyes  of  their  Law-giver.  Even  the  least  degree  of  disap- 
probation of  the  law,  being  just  so  great  a  degree  of  enmity 
against  God  their  Law-giver,  who  in  his  law  to  them  had  given 
a  transcript  of  his  nature.  To  dislike  the  law  in  such  a  case, 
had  been  the  same  thing,  in  effect,  as  to  dislike  God  himself. 
And,  besides,  had  they  not  heartily  approved  the  law,  in  all 
its  rigour,  as  strictly  just,  their  ever  pretenriing  to  bring  a 
bullock  or  a  goat  before  the  Lord,  and  there  lay  their  hands 
on  the  head  of  the  consecrated  animal,  and  deliver  it  to  the 
priest  to  kill,  to  sprinkle  the  blood,  and  to  burn  the  carcass,  in 

y  Bom.  it.  85      *  Gal.  r.  3.     a  Heb.  ix.  22.     6  Heb.  x.  4       c  Deutxxvii. 


S4  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

order  to  make  atonement  for  them,  that  their  sin  might  be  for- 
given, I  say,  all  this  must  have  been  a  mere  farce.  For  if 
the  Jew  who  had  sinned  a  sin,  did  not  deserve  the  threaten- 
ed curse,  why  did  be  bring  his  atonement  to  God  ?  why  did 
he  practically  say, "  my  blood  deserves  to  be  shed,  as  this 
bullock's  is  ;  and  I  deserve  to  be  consumed  in  the  fire  of  God's 
wrath  ;  as  this  bullock  in  this  fire  ?"  If  he  did  not  approve 
tbe  law,  as  strictly  just,  what  was  all  this,  but  lying  to  God  d  ? 
Jprom  all  which  it  is  plain,  that  the  children  of  Israel  were 
obliged  heartily  to  approve  of  their  law  in  the  sight  of  God, 
in  all  its  rigour  as  strictly  just ;  and  to  say,  with  St.  Paul, 
the  laze  is  holy,  the  commandment  fe~/ioiy,ju$t,  and  good. 

"  6.  Bnt  if  they  had  such  a  view  of  things,  and  such  a  tem- 
per, as  would  lay  a  foundation  for  them  heartily  to  approve 
the  law,  ihe  same  view  of  things,  and  the  same  temper, 
would  prepare  and  dispose  them  heartily  to  approve  of  the 
Gospel,  and  comply  with  it.  And  so,  their  school-master 
would  bring  them  to  Christ,  to  be  justified  by  faith." 

It  was  impossible  the  Jews  should  heartily  approve  their 
law,  in  its  requiring  them  "  to  love  God  with  all  their  hearts, 
and  obey  him  in  every  thing ;"  unless  under  a  view  of  his 
supreme  excellency,  bis  entire  right  to  them,  and  absolute  au- 
thority crver  them,  attended  with  an  answerable  frame  of 
heart.  Nor  could  they  possibly  approve  of  it,  as  equal  and 
right,  tbat  the  favour  of  God  should,  by  their  law,  be  sus- 
pended on  this  condition  ;  unless  they  saw  that  no  creature 
is  worthy  to  be  beloved  by  God,  but  those  who  love  him  with 
all  their  hearts,  and  give  unto  him,  in  all  respects,  and  at  all 

d  And  as  the  Jew  could  not  consistently  bring  his  sin-offering;  or  exercise 
faith  in  the  promised  Messiah,  without  an  hearty  approbation  of  the  divine  law  ; 
so  neither  could  he  love  God,  or  repent,  or  yield  any  sincere  obedience. — For,  if 
he  thought  the  law  too  severe,  he  would  think  God  too  severe  for  giving  of  it; 
ami  so,  not  love,  hut  dislike  him. :  he  would  be  disposed  to  justify  himself  in  break- 
ing it ;  and  in  all  respects,  have  the  hfTart  of  a  rebel. — So  that,  under  the  Jewish 
dispensation,  there  could  be  no  virtuous  action  done,  nothing  that  had  the  nature 
of  real  piety,  or  tiiat  had  the  least  true  goodness  in  it,  in  the  sight  of  God,  until 
the  law  was  approved  of.  Till  this,  they  must  be  considered  as  er.emies  to  God 
and  his  law,  and  uninterested  in  the  great  atonement  of  Christ,  and  all  their  reli- 
gious performances  a:id  costly  sacrifices,  as  so  many  splendid  pieces  of  hypocrisy. 
Where  there  is  godly  sincerity  in  the  heart,  God's  law  will  be  sincerely  approved 
of*;  and  no  where  else.  Rom.  vii.  12.  and  viii.  7,  8. 


THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER.  25 

times,  the  honour  and  glory  which  is  his  due.  Nor  could 
they  heartily  approve  of  it,  that  the  least  contempt  by  them 
cast  upon  the  DEITY,  should  expose  them  to  his  everlasting 
displeasure  ;  unless  they  saw  the  infinite  evil  of  such  a  crime 
resulting  from  God's  being  infinitely  worthy  to  be  loved  with 
all  the  heart,  and  obeyed  in  every  thing.  Nor  could  they 
heartily  take  all  the  blame  to  themselves,  notwithstanding 
their  inability  to  yield  perfect  obedience ;  unless  they  felt 
that  their  inability  did  not  lessen  their  blame.  Nor  could 
they  reconcile  the  eternal  torments  of  hell,  threatened  by 
their  law,  to  the  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness  of  the  supreme 
governor,  unless  they  saw  that  sin  deserved  so  great  a  pu- 
uishment;  that  it  is  a  wise  and  good  thing  for  the  supreme 
governor  of  the  world  to  punish  those  that  treat  him  with 
contempt,  according  to  their  deserts ;  that  this  honour  and 
respect,  herein  shown  to  the  DEITY,  is  due  to  his  sacred  ma- 
jesty, and  is  needful  to  establish  his  authority,  and  secure  the 
honour  of  his  government. 

But  let  a  Jew  have  these  views,  and  an  answerable  frame 
of  heart ;  even  such  a  supreme  respect  to  the  Deity,  and  re- 
gard for  his  honour,  as  in  the  nature  of  the  thing  is  absolute- 
ly necessary  to  reconcile  him  to  the  law,  and  induce  him 
heartily  to  approve  of  it,  and  he  would  at  the  same  time  be 
disposed  to  approve  of,  and  comply  with  the  Gospel.  If  the 
law,  although  a  ministration  of  death,  appeared  glorious  to 
the  Jew,  as  being  suited  to  exalt  God,  to  secure  to  him  his 
just  rights,  to  maintain  the  honour  of  his  government  and  au- 
thority, to  deter  from  every  instance  of  rebellion  ;  much 
more  would  the  Gospel  appear  glorious,  as  being  suited,  not 
only  to  answer  these  ends  to  the  best  purpose,  but  being  also, 
at  the  same  time,  a  ministration  of  fife.  If  it  appeared  glo- 
rious to  the  Jew  that  these  ends  should  be  answered,  although 
by  the  eternal  damnation  of  the  sinner,  much  more  glorious 
would  it  appear,  if  these  ends  could  be  all  answered,  and  yet 
the  sinner  eternally  saved.  If  therefore  he  approved  of  the 
law,  he  would  be  even  ravished  with  the  gospel ;  which  not 
only  exalts  God,  and  discountenances  sin,  but  also  humbles 
and  saves  the  sinner,  and  glorifies  grace,  as  it  is  written,  "  the 
letter  killeth  ;"  i,  e.  "  the  law  dooms  the  sinner  to  eternal 

VOL.    III.  4 


2t>  THE    LAAV    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER. 

death :"  "  but  the  Spirit  giveth  life  ;"  i.  e.  the  Gospel 
gives  eternal  life  to  the  sinner.  Now  therefore,  "  if  the  min- 
istration of  death  was  glorious/'  as  indeed  it  was,  "  the  glory 
of  Moses'  countenance,"  being  a  visible  emblem  of  it;  "  shall 
not  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  be  rather  glorious  ?  If  the 
ministration  of  condemnation  be  GLORY,  much  more  doth 
the  ministration  of  righteousness/'  and  justification  unto  life, 
"  exceed  in  GLORY'?" 

7.  And  the  Jew  being  used  to  see  bulls  and  goats  brought 
to  the  tabernacle,  and  presented  before  the  Lord,  and  sub- 
stituted to  die  in  the  room  of  the  transgressor  of  the  law  ; 
and  having  often  himself  brought  a  bullock  or  a  goat  before 
the  Lord,  and  laid  his  hands  upon  the  head  of  the  animal, 
that  it  might  die  in  his  room,  and  make  atonement  for  his 
sin ;  I  say,  the  Jew  being  thus  used  to  see  that  which  was 
without  spot  or  blemish  substituted  to  die  for  the  guilty,  and 
this  method  of  atonement  having  grown  familiar  by  long 
custom,  he  would  be  prepared  to  understand  the  Gospel,  and 
to  take  in  the  idea  which  it  exhibited  of  the  death  of  Christ, 
on  whom  the  iniquities  of  us  all  were  laid  l,  and  who  died  the 
just  for  the  unjust  g,  being  brought  as  the  bullock  of  old,  and 
set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  for  sin,  that  by  faith  in  his  blood 
we  might  be  justified  h,  himself  being  made  a  curse  for  us, 
that  the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come  on  us '. 

And  the  Jew,  on  the  great  day  uf  atonement,  from  year  to 
year,  all  his  life  long,  having  been  used  to  see  the  high-priest 
dressed  in  his  holy  robes,  with  the  names  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael upon  his  heart,  and  holiness  to  the  Lord  written  in  his 
forehead,  enter  the  tabernacle,  to  go  into  the  most  holy  place, 
into  the  immediate  presence  of  God,  with  the  blood  of  atone- 
ment in  his  hand  k,  would  be  hereby  prepared  understandiug- 
ly  to  behold  our  great  HIGH-PRIEST,  CHRIST  JESUS,  with 
his  own  blood,  enter  into  heaven,  there  to  appear  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God  for  us  '.  And  thus  the  law  was,  in  its  whole 
constitution,  wisely  framed,  and  suited  to  be  a  school-master 

e  2  Cor.  iii.  6 — 9.  /  Isai.  liii.  6.  g  1  Pet.  iii.  18. 

h  Rom.  iii.  25-  i  Gal.  iii.  13,  14.          k  Exod.  xxviii.   Lev.  xvi. 

I  Heb.  ix. 


THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER.  27 

to   bring  the  Jew  to  Christ,  that  he  might  be  justified   by 
faith  m. 

And  thus  we  have  gone  through  what  was  proposed,  have 
considered  the  occasion  of  the  words,  viewed  the  character 
of  the  persons  the  apostle  had  to  deal  with,  seen  how  these 
words  were  introduced  in  the  thread  of  the  apostle's  argument, 
and  particularly  considered  what  ground  there  was  in  the  na- 
ture and  constitution  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation  for  this  obser- 
vation, from  all  which  the  exact  sense  of  the  words  may  be 
clearly  determined. 

And  that  which  may,  if  need  be,  still  further  confirm  us 
in  it,  that  we  have  entered  into  the  apostle's  very  sentiments 
in  this  point,  is  that  this  sense  of  the  text  seems  exactly  to 
harmonize  with  St.  Paul's  own  experience  in  the  case.     For 
he  was  born  a  Jew,  and  educated  a  Pharisee,  and  was  once 
very  zealous  in  the  scheme  he  is  now  confuting,  and  now  and 
then  in  his   Epistles  he  drops  a  hint,  or  rather  plainly  de- 
clares, how  he  himself  was  brought  off  from  the  Pharisaical 
scheme  of  justification,  to  an  entire  dependence  on   Christ 
Jesus  for  salvation.     While  he  was  a  Pharisee,  he  had   the 
same  superficial,  indistinct,  and  confused  notion  of  the  law, 
as  the  rest  of  that  sect  had  ;  as  a  rule  to  which,  if  he  con- 
formed his  life,  he  should  enjoy  the  favour  of  God,  and  eter- 
nal happiness.     Not  once  imagining,  that  it  required  sinless 
perfection  on  pain  of  ettinal  damnation.     "No;  so  far  from 
it,  that  I  not  only  thought  I  could,  but  thought  I  actually  did, 
Jive  up  to  what  the  law  required.     For  as  touching  the  right- 
eousness which  is  in  the  law,  I  was  blameless,  for  I  was  then 
without  the  law,  without  any  knowledge,  or  sense  of  its  true 
meaning.     And  this  was  the  reason  my  sinfulness  was  by  me 
unobserved.     For  in  those  days,  I  saw  little,  or  no  corruption 

tn  OBJ.  Under  the  Jewish  dispensation  "  the  priest  made  atonement  for  MU 
by  sacrificing  a  heasl,  ONLY  as  that  was  a  sign  and  testimony  of  the  sacrificer's 
pure  and  upright  heart."  Taylor  on  Atonement,  page  22.  "  Nor  would  they 
be  finally  saved  but  by  their  own  obedience."  p.  114. 

ANS.  Then  the  law  was  not  a  school-master  to  bring  them  to  Christ,  that  they 
might  be  justified  by  faith,  as  St  Paul  affirms.  But  rather  a  school-master  to 
bring  them  to  their  own  righteousness,  that  they  might  be  justified  by  that  It 
was  adapted  to  train  them  up  in  a  self-righteous  temper,  and  effectually  to  prepare 
diem  to  reject  the  great  atonement  of  Christ.  Rom.  x.  3. 


28  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

in  my  heart;  andfwhat  I  did  see,  did  not  terrify  me.  I 
apprehended  no  danger.  For  while  I  was  without  the  law 
sin  was  dead.  And  now  in  these  days  I  was  an  enemy 
to  Christianity,  and  persecuted  it,  and  did  all  I  could  to  sup- 
press it.  For  /  was  alive  without  tht  law  at  that  time,  con- 
fident of  my  own  goodness,  and  of  God's  favour,  and  in 
high  expectations  of  eternal  life  upon  the  foot  of  my  own 
virtue,  ignorant  of  God,  and  of  his  law,  and  of  my  own  heart. 
But  when  the  commandment,  as  requiring  sinless  perfection 
on  pain  of  eternal  damnation,  came  into  view,  and  was  set 
home  upon  my  heart  and  conscience  by  the  spirit  of  God, 
my  fancied  goodness  hegan  to  appear  as  dung,  a  heap  of 
filth,  and  sin  revived,  even  all  the  wickedness  of  my  heart 
and  life  rose  up  into  clear  view,  and  stared  me  in  the  face ; 
and  I  immediately  felt  myself  under.the  curse,  and  expected 
to  have  it  executed  in  a  moment.  I  stood  guilty  before 
God  :  I  was  shut  up  under  sin  ;  I  saw  no  way  to  escape;  my 
heart  failed  me ;  1  died  ;  I  felt  I  was  a  dead  man,  a  lost  man, 
by  law ;  and  I  gave  up  all  hopes  of  ever  obtaining  lifo  this 
way.  The  law  which  was  ordained  to  life,  and  by  which  I 
thought  life  was  to  be  obtained,  1  found  to  be  unto  death. 
It  slew  me.  It  killed  all  my  false  religion,  and  all  my  self- 
righteous  hopes,  and  made  me  for  ever  despair  of  obtainin» 
life  by  my  own  goodness.  And  my  mouth  was  stopped ;  I 
had  nothing  to  say,  because  I  saw  the  law  was  holy,  and  the 
commandment  holy,  just,  and  good.  And  thus  1  through  the 
law  became  dead  to  the  law.  But  ever  since  that  solemn 
hour,  when  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  free 
grace  through  him  was  revealed  in  me,  I  have  sought  to  be 
found  in  Christ,  and  expected  to  be  justified  by  faith  with- 
out the  deeds  of  the  law.  And  in  a  word,  all  my  hopes  and 
expectations  are  so  entirely  built  on  Christ,  that  I  may  truly 
say,  that  the  life  I  live  in  thejiesh,  is  by  faith  on  the  Son  of 
God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  Jiimse  If  for  me."  So  St.  Paul 
experienced,  and  so  he  believed,  and  so  he  preached,  and  so 
he  wrote  in  all  his  Epistles.  See  Rom.  iii.  19,  20.  And 
Chap.  vii.  8,  9,  10,  11,  12.  Gal.  i.  IS—  \6.  And  Chap, 
ii.  16.  19,  20.  Phil.  iii.  3—9  ". 

n  Perhaps,  by  thi»  time,  some  readers  may  begin  to  pause,  and  reason  within 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  29 

And  now  there  is  but  one  thing  more  that  needs  to  be  ob- 
served, io  order  to  our  full  understanding  of  the  apostle's 
reasonings  upon  this  subject,  and  to  prepare  the  way  to  apply 
all  that  has  been  said  to  us,  who  are  not  Jews,  who  were 
not  Jews,  who  were  never  under  Moses'  law,  but  are  by  na- 
ture Gentiles,  viz. 

That  the  law  given  at  Mount  Sinai,  as  to  its  moral  pre- 
cepts, was  nothing  more  than  a  new  and  plainer  edition  and 
republication  of  the  law  of  nature,  which  had  been  in  force 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  was  equally  binding  to 
all  nations,  and  in  all  ages.  To  love  God  with  all  the  heart, 
and  our  neighbour  as  ourselves,  being  equally  the  duty  of  the 
Gentiles  as  of  Jews ;  and  the  least  sin  exposing  Gentile  as 
well  as  Jew  to  the  everlasting  wrath  of  God. 

All  this  is  implied  in  Rom.  i.  18.  The  wrath  of  God  is  re- 
vealed from  heaven,  against  all  ungodlintss  and  unrighteous- 
ness of  men.  He  means,  be  they  Jews  or  Gentiles,  as  is  plain 

themselves,  and  say, — "  How  can  these  things  be  ?  I  never  experienced  any  such 
thing.  And  there  are  many  good  men  I  know  of,  who  never  did.  Nor  do  they 
think  it  necessary  :  but  think  ap  I  do,  that  if  men  are  sincere  in  the  service  of 
God,  they  -will  be  saved  at  last  And  Jt  must  be  so  :  for  neither  Abraham  nor 
David  were  perfect.  And  there  is  no  man  that  liveth  and  sinneth  not." 

ANS.  1.  However  sincere  a  man  maybe,  in  what  he  calls  religion;  yet  lie 
cannot  possibly  be  sincere  in  the  service  of  God,  properly  speaking,  until  after  he 
has  been  brought  to  tliis  right  understanding  of  the  law,  and  to  this  hearty  ap- 
probation of  it — He  must  have  this  right  understanding  of  the  law,  or  he  does 
not  so  much  as  know  what  the  law  of  God  is,  or  what  God  would  have  him  do  ; 
and  therefore  he  cannot  so  much  as  desire  to  do  it ;  or  exercise  any  kind  of  sin- 
cerity about  it. — And  if  he  hxs  this  right  understanding  of  the  law,  lie  must  also 
approve  of  it ;  or  he  is  so  far  from  sincerity  in  God's  service,  that  he  is  an  enemy 
to  God.  He  to  whom  the  law,  although  a  ministration  of  death,  does  not  ap- 
pear glorious,  in  all  its  rigour ;  to  him,  God  himself  does  not  appear  glorious.  For 
the  law  is  but  a  transcript  of  the  divine  nature.  It  is  the  very  image  of  God's  heart. 
Or,  if  any  such  imagine  they  love  God,  it  is  but  a  false  image  of  God  they  have 
framed  in  their  own  fancy.  For  no  man  loves  God,  who  does  not  love  the  law. 
He  that  is  an  enemy  to  the  ONE,  is  to  the  OTHER.  Rom.  viiL  7.  And  there  is 
nothing  in  the  religion  of  such  men  that  pleases  God.  Rom.  viii.  8. 

2.  And  if  a  man  is  brought  rightly  to  understand,  and  heartily  approve  of  the 
law,  it  will  effectually  kill  a  self-righteous  spirit,  and  bring  him  to  Christ,  to  be 
justified  by  faith.  So  Abraham  and  David  were  justified,  and  all  other  good  men. 
Therefore  be  not  deceived  with  vain  words.  But  perhaps  you  will  say,  (for  the 
sinner  dreads  to  be  shut  up  wider  sin,  and  shnt  up  to  the  faith,)  "  We  never 
were  under  the  law  of  Moses,  ami  so  all  this  is  nothing' to  us." — Well,  this  comes 
next  to  be  considered. — To  the  law,  and  to  the  testimony  let  us  go. 


30  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

from  what  follows:  one  as  well  as  the  other,  is  exposed  to 
the  wrath  of  God,  for  any  ungodliness,  or  unrighteousness ; 
i.  e.  for  any  neglect  of  duty  to  God,  or  man  ;  i.  e.  for  any 
defect  af  perfect  holiness  in  heart  or  life.     And  that  which 
makes  it  evident  this  is  his  true  meaning,  is,  that  in  these 
words  he  designedly  lays   down   a   maxim  upon    which    to 
build  his  whole  argument,  by  which  to  prove  the  whole  world 
to  be  guilty  before  God,  and  that  no  flesh,  whether  Jew  or 
Greek,  could  \*e  justified  in  the  sight  of  God,  by  their  own 
virtue  and  good  deeds.     The  sum  of  his  argument  is  this : 
"  every  sin  exposes  to  the  everlasting  wrath  of  God.     But 
both  Jew  and  Gentile  have  sinned.     Therefore  both  Jew  and 
Gentile  are  exposed  to  the  everlasting  wrath  of  God."     The 
whole  world  stand  guilty  before  God.    "  No  man  can  be  jus- 
tified by  law,  unless  he  yield  a  perfect  obedience.     But  there 
is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one,  in  this  sense  :  therefore  no 
flesh  can  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God  by  law."     This,  I 
say,   is  the  sum  of  his  argument :    which  plainly  supposes, 
that  the  Gentile  was  bound  by  the  law   of  nature  to  sinless 
perfection, just  as  the  Jew  was  by  the  law  of  Moses:  and 
was  equally  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God  for  any  neglect. 
For  otherwise,  the  apostle's  reasoning,  although   it   might 
prove,  that  no  ONE  Jew  could  be  justified  by  the  law  of 
Moses,  which  he  was  under  ;  yet  it  would  not  prove,  that 
no  ONE  Gentile  could  be  justified  by  the  law  of  nature, 
which  he  was  under.     Which  yet  the  apostle  intended   to 
prove  ;  that  the  Gentile  as  well  as  the  Jew,  might  be  con- 
vinced of  his  need  of  Christ  and  Gospel-grace. 

Besides,  if  the  Gentile  could  be  justified  by  the  law  of  na- 
ture, he  might  justly  reject  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  upon  the 
same  ground  upon  which  the  unbelieving  Jews  unjustly 
rejected  it.  They  rejected  the  Gospel,  because  they  thought 
they  could  be  justified  by  their  law.  But  if  they  could 
have  obtained  justification  -by  their  law,  the  apostle  vir- 
tually owns  their  conduct  was  reasonable.  For,  he  grants 
that  if  there  had  been  a  law  given,  which  could  have  giv- 
en life,  verily  righteousness  should  have  btcn  by  the  law  °. 
And  he  grants,  that  if  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then 
Christ  is  dead  in  vain  p.  Which  positions,  the  Gentile  might 

o  Gal.  Hi.  21.  p  Gal.  ii.  21. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  31 

have  laid  hold  of,  and  turned  against  the  apostle,  and  out 
of  his  own  mouth  have  demonstrated,  that  there  was  no  ne- 
cessity of  Christ's  dying  for  them,  if  the  law  of  nature,  which 
they  were  under,  did  not  require  sinless  perfection,  under 
pain  of  eternal  damnation,  as  did  the  Jew's  law:  but  only 
required  them,  as  some  seem  vainly  to  imagine,  sincerely 
to  endeavour  to  do  as  well  as  they  could,  and  to  be  sorry  for 
their  failings,  and  study  amendment,  and  to  trust  in  the 
mercy  of  God.  If  life  might  have  been  had  in  this  way  by 
the  Gentiles,  then  Christ  had  died  in  vain,  as  to  them. 

And  if  this  had  been  the  case,  as  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they 
might  have  been  thus  saved  by  the  law  of  nature ;  it  will  fol- 
low, that  there  never  had  been  any  need  of  Christ's  death 
for  the  Jewish  nation,  had  it  not  have  been  for  the  law  given 
on  Mount  Sinai.  Had  they  remained  only  under  the  law  of 
nature,  they  might  have  been  saved  by  it  too,  as  well  as  the 
Gentiles.  And  so  the  death  of  Christ  was  made  necessary 
merely  by  the  Sinai  law  And  so,  instead  of  being  a  school- 
master to  teach  the  Jews  their  need  of  Christ,  it  was  the  only 
thing  that  made  Christ  needful  :  to  suppose  which,  would 
overthrow  law  and  gospel  too.  All  which  absurdities,  plain- 
ly following  on  the  present  hypothesis,  do  sufficiently  prove 
it  to  be  false;  and  demonstrate  that  the  law  of  nature  did 
require  sinless  perfection  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation  of  the 
Gentiles,just  as  the  law  from  Mount  Sinai  did  of  the  Jews. 
And  now  the  apostle's  argument  will  be  conclusive,  and  no 
flesh,  whether  Jew  or  Gentile,  by  their  own  good  deeds 
can  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God.  For  neither  the  law 
of  nature,  nor  the  law  from  Mount  Sinai,  could  give  life. 
And  there  was  a  necessity  for  Christ  to  die  for  the  Gentile 
as  well  as  the  Jew  ;  all  having  tinned,  and  the  zvholc  world 
standing  guilty  before  God. 

To  conclude,  it  may  be  added,  that  sin  did,  according  to 
reason  and  strict  justice,  deserve  eternal  damnation,  antece- 
dent to  the  giving  of  the  law  from  Mount  Sinai,  or  it  did  not. 
If  it  did,  then,  by  the  law  of  nature,  eternal  damnation  was 
due.  If  it  did  not,  then  the  law  from  Mount  Sinai  was  too  se- 
vere, in  threatening  a  greater  punishment  for  sin  than  in 
strict  justice  it  deserved.  Bui  God  forbid  !  For  we,  are  sure 


32  THE  LAW  OUR    SCHOOL-M  AS  TEH. 

the  judgment  of  God  is  according  to  truth,  says  the  inspired 
apostle  in  this  very  case  *.  And  again,  is  God  unrighteous 
who  tuketh  vengeance  ?  God  forbid.  For  then  how  shall 
God  judge  the  world  T  ? 

If  it  should  be  said,  (and  what  is  there  that  will  not  be 
said  by  guilty  sinners,  rather  than  own  they  deserve  eternal 
damnation  for  their  rebellion  against  the  GREAT  GOD?)  If  it 
should  be  said,  that  "neither  the  law  of  nature,  nor  the  law 
from  Mount  Sinai  threatened  eternal  damnation  for  sin  ;"  it 
must  be  said  by  the  same  men,  in  order  to  be  consistent  with 
themselves,  that  neither  did  Christ  come  to  save  Jew  or  Gen- 
tile from  eternal  damnation  ;  as  antecedent  to  the  coming  of 
Christ,  not  one  of  mankind  was  in  danger  of  eternal  dam- 
nation, according  to  them.  And  as  Christ  himself  said,  ho 
did  not  come  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  zcorld,  but 
that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved;  so  these  men  will 
not  say,  that  Christ's  comrhg  exposed  the  world  to  an  eter- 
nal hell,  they  were  in  no  danger  of  before.  No  :  so  far  from 
it,  that  the  same  first  principles  that  will  carry  men  to  say  as 
above,  will  naturally  carry  them  one  step  further,  to  say, 
that  those  who  die  impenitent  from  under  the  light  of  the 
Gospel,  are  in  no  danger  of  eternal  damnation  *. 

And  yet  will  any  be  so  inconsistent  as  to  say  thus,  when 
the  eternity  of  hell  torments  is  as  expressly  asserted  in  the 
BIBLE,  as  the  eternity  of  heaven's  joys  ?  They  grant  the 
happiness  of  heaven  will  be  eternal;  and  will  they  deny  the 
eternity  of  hell-torments,  which  is  expressed  in  just  the  same 
language  ?  These  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment ; 
but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal l.  Christ  has  said,  that  their 

g  Rom.  ii.  2.  r  Rom.  iii.  S,  C- 

s  Some  of  their  first  principles  are  ;  "  God's  only  end  in  the  moral  govern- 
ment of  the  world  is  the  happiness  of  the  creature.  There  is  no  evil  in  sin  as  it  is 
against  God.  Sin,  strictly  speaking,  deserves  no  punishment.  AH  the  miseries 
which  God  inflicts  upon  sinners,  in  this  -world  or  the  next,  are  in  mere  mercy,  to 
purify  and  fit  them  for  happiness.  The  devils  and  all  the  damned  will  finally  be 
saved.— For,  goodness,  or  love  to  the  creature,  is  the  only  moral  perfection  of  the 
divine  nature."— A  scheme  that  perfectly  suits  the  heart  of  a  secure  sinner. — But 
a  realizing  sense  of  the  being  and  perfections  of  the  GREAT  GOD,  as  revealed  in 
the  holy  Scriptures,  set  home  on  the  heart  by  the  spirit  of  God,  would  dash  it  to, 
pieces  in  a  moment. 

t  Matt.  xxv.  46. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  33 

worm  shall  never  die,  their  fire  never  be  quenched,  and  repeated 
it  over  and  over  tt.  And  this  fire  is  not  designed  for  their 
purification,  as  some  dream,  but  expressly  for  their  DE- 
STRUCTION x,  for  their  second  death r,  for  their  EVERLAST- 
ING PUNISHMENT",  than  which  nothing  can  be  plainer  to 
determine  against  their  notion.  The  righteous  will  be  con- 
sidered as  the  wheat,  and  the  wicked  as  the  chaff',  and  the 
tares,  which  are  not  to  be  purified,  but  to  be  burnt,  and  that 
with  unquenchable  fire,  and  the  smoke  of  their  torments  shall 
ascend  for  ever  for  ever*  And  this  is  so  far  from  being  out  of 
love  to  them,  as  being  designed  at  last  for  happiness,  that  in 
them  God  means  to  show  his  wrath,  and  make  his  power 
known,  as  being  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  for  destruction.  Thus 
God  teaches  us  his  word  ;  nor  can  any  with  the  least  show  of 
reason  say,  but  that  the  eternity  of  hell  torments,  and  that  un- 
der the  notion  of  a  punishment,  is  as  plainly  and  fully  ex- 
pressed, as  though  God  had  intended  we  should  believe  it. 
Why  then  is  a  guilty  world  so  loath  to  believe  it  ?  Doubtless 
it  is  because  they  do  not  feel  that  they  deserve  it.  And  not 
being  sensible,  that  they  deserve  eternal  damnation,  they 
venture  to  disbelieve  it,  and  endeavour  to  evade  the  testimo- 
ay  of  divine  revelation  ;  and  then  proceed  to  raise  objections 
from  reason  against  it. 

As  to  their  methods  of  evading  the  testimony  of  divine  re- 
velation, they  need  no  particular  answer  ;  because  these  men 
themselves  are  sensible,  that  the  Sctiptures  speak  quite  plain 
enough.  And  if  they  would  for  once,  speak  out  their  hearts, 
they  would  say,  that  it  is  not  because  the  eternity  of  hell- 
torments  is  not  plainly  revealed  in  Scripture,  but  only  be- 
cause they  do  not  like  to  believe  the  doctrine,  that  makes 
them  doubt  it.  It  seems  too  severe  that  the  sinner  should 
lie  in  hell  to  all  eternity.  Therefore  they  set  themselves  to 
evade  Scripture,  and  to  raise  objections  against  it.  And  no 
sooner  will  these  men  have  heard,  what  has  now  been  advan- 
ced concerning  the  law  of  Moses,  and  the  law  of  nature,  as 
requiring  perfect  obedience  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation, 
but  these  objections  will  be  in  their  minds. 

«  Mark  ix.  43 — 48.         x  Matt  x.  28.  2  Thes.  i.  9.        y  B«r.  XX.  14. 
z  Matt  xiii.  30.  Imke  iii.  17. 
VOL  III.  .•> 


34f  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-31  ASTER'. 

1.  "  It  is  not  right  for  God  to  require  of  his  creatures 
more  than  they  can  do,  under  the  penalty  of  any  punish- 
ment at  all." 

2.  "  If  some  sins  do  deserve  some  punishment ;  yet  no  sin, 
how  great  soever,  deserves  eternal  damnation." 

3.  "  Or  rather,  strictly  speaking,  sin  deserves  no  punish- 
ment at  all." 

Now  these  positions,  every  one  will  soon  discern,  need  no 
particular  answer  from  divine  revelation  ;  because,  the  whole 
of  divine  revelation  is  itself  a  standing  confutation  of  them. 
Did  not  God  from  Mount  Sinai  require  the  whole  congrega- 
tion of  Israel  to  love  the  Lord  their  God  with  all  their  heart, 
and  obey  him  in   every  thing?     And  was  noi  the  curse  de- 
nounced against  the  man  that  should  fail  in  any  one  point  ? 
Now  could  the   whole  congregation  yield  this  sinless  perfec- 
tion every  day  of  their  lives,  without  the  least  defect  in  heart, 
or  life?  And  did  not  the  curse  mean,  at  least,  some  punish- 
ment? And   thus  the  whole  law  of  Moses  is  a  standing  con- 
futation of  their  first  maxim.     And  as  for  the  other  two,  if  any 
regard  was  to  he  had  to  the  plain  declarations  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, sin  not  only  deserves  punishment,  but  everlasting  pu- 
nishment ;  and  at  the  day  of  judgment  it  will  be  inflicted  on  all 
Christless  sinners.     But  it  is  no  satisfaction  to  these  men,  to 
have  their  objections  answered,  arid  their  mouths  stopped,  by 
the  word  of  God.     For,  although  they  pretend  to  believe  the 
holy  Scriptures  to  be  divine  ;  yet,  finding  so  many  things  in 
the  bible  that  do  by   no  means  suit  them,  they  do  as   St. 
Paul  did  in  another  case,  appeal  to  Caesar,  as  the  higher  pow- 
er, and  where  he  hoped  to  have  better  justice  done  him.     So. 
with  the  same  view,  these  men  appeal  to  reason  ;  nor  will 
they  believe  the  Scriptures  mean  this  or  that,  how  plainly 
soever  expressed,  unless  it  quadrates  with  their  notions,  and 
so  appears  to  them  rational.  ,  Now  were  there  no  depravity 
in  their  hearts,  to  blind  and  -bias  their  minds,  I  should  have 
no  fear  of  joining  issue  according  to  their  desire,  and  submit 
these  points  to  be  decided  solely  by  reason.     For  1  believe  they 
can  be  demonstrated   from   reason  as  fully,  although  not  so 
easily,  as  from  Scripture.     The  Scripture  has  given  us  an 
edition  of  the  law  of  nature,  much  plainer  and  more  legible 


' 

THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-M ASTEJU  35 

than  that  which  we  have  by  nature.  And  this  indeed  is  the 
true  cause  that  these  men  appeal  from  it,  as  the  light  of  truth 
there  shines  too  insufferably  bright,  and  refer  themselves  to 
reason  which,  our  depravity  being  so  great,  they  can  more  ea- 
sily shut  their  eyes  against.  However,  who  knows  but  that 
their  hearts  may  be  touched,  when  the  great  God  is  brought 
into  view,  and  set  before  their  eyes  !  Therefore, 

Let  us  place  ourselves  before  the  awful  tribunal  of  Christ, 
and  attentively  view  these  points,  in  the  light  in  which  they 
will  stand  at  that  solemn  day,  when  every  man's  conscience 
will  be  convinced  that  God's  law  is  strictly  just. 
When  Christ  comes  in  the  glory  oj  his  Father,  and  all  the  holy 
angels  with  him,  and  the  infinite  majesty  and  greatness  of  the 
invisible  God  shines  forth  in  him,  and  it  appears  that  all  the, 
nations  of  the  earth  arc  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance,  or  drop 
of  the  bucket  before  him;  yea,  that  the  zcho/c  created  system 
is  as  nothing  and  vanity,  when  compared  to  God,  the  great 
being,  the  almighty  creator,  now  each  of  these  objections  will 
be  sapped  at  their  very  foundation  c.  When  God  appears, 

c  For  these  objections,  and  (he  whole  scheme  they  belong  to  in  all  its  various 
shapes,  grow  up  out  of  the  heart's  insensibility  of  the  iufcitite  greatness  and  ifloi-y 
ftfGod. — It  would  otherwise,  be  quite  impossible  that  men,  and  men  of  thought 
and  penetration,  should  ever  once  imagine,  that,  in  a  perfect  moral  government, 
where  an  exact  proportion  is,  as  themselves  acknowledge,  always  observed,  and 
•what  is  most  fit,  and  right,  and  beautiful  is  always  done,  that  in  such  a  government* 
the  GREAT  GOD  should  be  less  regarded,  than  the  created  system  ,•  the  ixfci- 
NITE  CREATOR  less  respected,  than  the  finite  creature:  for  it  is  a  more  gross 
absurdity,  than  it  would  be  for  a  mathematician  to  affirm,  that  a  million  such  sys- 
tems as  ours,  would  be  less  than  a  pin's  point.  And  yet,  ns  absurd  as  it  is,  it  lies 
at  the  bottom  of  almost  all  the  corrupt  schemes  of  religion  now  in  vogue. — First 
they  lay  it  down  for  a  maxim,  "  that  the  honour  of  the  DEITY  is  not  at  all  con- 
sidered, or  regarded  by  the  supreme  moral  governor  of  the  world  ;  but  only  the 
good  of  the  creature."  And  upon  this  foundation,  chevalier  Rumsey  builds  his 
scheme,  and  so  do  the  ingenious  Hutcht  sou  and  Turnbuil,  and  the  celebrated 
Taylor,  and  so  does  Tindal  the  famous  Deist. — And  each,  taking  this  point  for 
granted,  seem  to  dero,onstra.te  their  various  schemes. — Ramsey,  "  that  all,  even 
tlic  devils  not  excepted,  will  be  finally  happy."  Hutcheson  and  Turnbuil,  "  that 
•we  naturally  have  the  moral  image  of  God  in  our  hearts."— Taylor,  "  that  \ve 
are  not  fallen  creatures."  Tindal,  "  that  the  Old  and  New  Testament  ore  not 
from  God." 

But  let  this  stupidity  be  removed  from  the  heart,  and  a  realizing  sense  of  the 
infinite  greatness  and  glory  of  God  fill  the  soul,  30  as  thoroughly  to  convince  the 


36  THE  LAW  OUK  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

and  appears  in  his  infinite  greatness,  clothed  with  infinite 
majesty,  vested  with  an  authority  infinitely  binding,  the  com- 
mandment will  come,  sin  revive,  and  the  sinner  die.  Reason 
and  natural  conscience  will  be  fully  convinced,  that  the  law- 
was  strictly  just.  And  every  guilty  creature  will  be  forced  to 
say,  when  doomed  to  depart  into  everlasting  fire,  the  Lord  is 
righteous.  Then  the  bold  libertine,  in  the  utmost  horror, 
will  see  the  weakness  of  all  his  former  pleas.  Methinksl 
hear  him  sav,  trembling  before  the  bar  of  Christ, 

"  What  did  I  mean,  stupid  wretch  that  1  was,  to  say  that 
sin  deserved  no  punishment  ?  What !  was  it  no  crime  to  affront 
the  dread  majesty  of  heaven  and  earth  to  his  face,  as  I  did 
in  every  sin?     Was  it  no  crime  to  treat  with  contempt  HIM 
whom  all  heaven  adores  ?     Was  it  no  crime  to  turn  my  back 
upon  my  Maker,  and  revolt  from  my  rightful   sovereign  ? 
And  by  my  example  to  encourage  others  to  go  on   boldly  in 
rebellion  ?     And  if  these  were  crimes,  and  dreadful  crimes  I 
now  see  they  were,  does  it  not  now  become  the  righteous  gover- 
nor and  judge  of  the  world  to  be  displeased,  and  to  testify  his 
displeasure,  and  to  make  his  wrath  smoke  against   such  a 
wetch  ?     I  once  scoffed  at  serious  piety,  and  ridiculed  strict 
godliness,  and  was  really  an  open  enemy  to  Jesus  Christ. 
And  is  it  not  fit  that  he  should  now  treat  me  according  to  my 
character  ?     And  with  indignation  banish  me  for  ever  from 
his  presence !     And   from   the   presence   of  all   his   saints, 
whom  once  I  despised  !  to  dwell  for  ever  with  devils,  whose 
interest  I  served  ! 

"This  is  the  Gor>,  the  infinitely  great  Goo,  whose  law  I 
said  was  too  severe  !     The  height  of  what  he  required  of 

heart,  that  an  infinite  regard  is,  and  ought  to  be  had,  to  the  honour  of  the  DEITY, 
in  the  moral  government  of  the  world,  and  all  their  schemes  will  fall  to  the  ground 
at  once.  For  now  we  shall  see,  why  sin  is  punished  eternally  ;  and  that  hnm«n 
nature  is,  in  fact,  totally  corrupt ;  that  the  doctrine  of  original  sin  is  true  ;  that 
ihe  Old  and  New  Testament  are  perfectly  agreeable  to  the  perfections  of  God, 

and  needs  of  fallen  man,  and  have  all  the  internal  marks  of  divinity It  will  be 

self-evident,  that  it  is  an  infinite  evil  to  sin  against  such  a  God  ;  we  natnrally 
have  none  of  that  temper  towards  him  which  we  ought ;  we  are  fallen,  lost  crea. 
In  cs ;  we  need  such  a  Kedeemer  and  such  a  Sanctifier  as  are  exhibited  in  the 
Old  and  New  Testament  i  it  is  fit  God  should  be  exalted,  the  sinner  humbled., 
and  grace  glorified,  agreeable  to  the  Scripture  plan. 


THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER.  37 

me  was  to  love  him  with  all  my  heart ;  as  I  now  see  yonder 
saints  and  angels  love  him.  But  I  did  not  love  him  !  1  did 
not  like  his  ways !  1  loved  my  vain  companions,  and  my 
sinful  carnal  pleasures!  His  threatening  to  punish  me  for  it, 
instead  of  reclaiming,  did  but  make  me  hate  his  law  and  go- 
vernment the  worse.  And  1  loved  to  indulge  hard  thoughts 
of  him,  as  being  too  severe  ;  pretending  for  my  excuse,  that 
I  had  no  power  to  love  him ;  only,  alas  !  because  I  was  not 
suited  with  him  ;  but  hated  all  his  ways.  In  this  I  was  like 
the  devil,  that  I  had  no  heart  for  God,  to  love  him,  or  live  to 
him  ;  but  was  disposed  to  walk  contrary  to  him  in  all  things. 
And  for  this,  God  may  justly  hate  me,  and  cast  me  off,  with 
the  devil  for  ever.  For  such  a  kind  of  inability,  I  never 
thought,  excused  any  of  my  fellow-creatures,  who  treated 
me  with  disrespect  and  ill-nature  on  earth.  And  if  they 
alleged,  that  they  could  not  help  hating  me,  by  way  of 
excuse  ;  if  the  fault  was  not  in  me,  but  in  themselves,  I  never. 
thought  them  the  less  to  blame,  but  the  more.  Their  saying 
they  could  not  help  hating  me,  instead  of  excusing  the  fault, 
always  made  it  seem  worse.  Now,  this  great  GOD  will  deal 
with  me  by  the  same  rule.  I  said,  I  could  not  love  him ; 
but  the  fault  was  not  in  him,  but  in  me.  For,  to  other 
beings  he  appears  infinitely  amiable ;  and  I  only  am  to 
blame,  that  he  does  not  appear  so  to  me.  And  it  is  right  and 
just  I  should  be  punished. 

"  And  now  I  behold  the  Judge  ready  to  pronounce  my 
final  doom,  the  dreadful  sentence,  depart  ye  cursed  into  ever- 
lasting Jtre,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels*.  I  would 
not  believe  hell-torments  to  be  eternal,  although  expressly 
asserted  in  God's  word.  I,  stupid  wretch  that  I  was,  did  not 
feel  that  I  deserved  everlasting  punishment.  I  was  like  the 
fool,  who  said  in  his  heart,  there  is  no  God e.  But  now  1  see 
there  is  a  God  ;  an  infinitely  GREAT  GOD  ;  whom  all  are  un- 
der infinite  obligations  to  honour  and  obey.  I  might  have 
been  before  convinced,  that  God  was  infinitely  worthy  to  be 
loved,  honoured,  and  obeyed  ;  and  that  his  infinite  worthi- 
ness laid  me  under  an  infinite  obligation  ;  and  that  an  infi- 
nite obligation  rendered  me  infinitely  to  blame  ;  and  that 

d  Matt.  xxv.  4*.  e  Psal  liii.  1. 


38  THE  LAW  OtJR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

infinite  blame  deserved  infinite  punishment;  i.  e.  the  eternal 
torments  of  hell.  -I  might  have  known  this  before:  but  I 
shut  my  eyes  against  the  light.  I  pretended,  that  because  I 
could  not  comprchtnd  his  infinite  greatness  and  glory,  that 
therefore  I  could  not  be  laid  under  an  infinite  obligation 
thereby.  But  I  might  have  known,  that  a  conviction  of  his 
infinite  greatness  and  glory  did  infinitely  oblige.  Conviction 
without  comprehension,  I  always  knew  did  oblige  in  others' 
cases.  As,  when  I  have  been  convinced  that  others  had 
more  knowledge  and  wisdom  than  myself,  I  never  doubted 
but  that  I  was  thereby  obliged  so  much  the  more  to  pay 
them  a  superior  respect  on  that  account,  "  although  their 
knowledge  and  wisdom  were  above  my  full  comprehension. 
Nor  did  I  ever  doubt  but  that  those  who  were  convinced 
that  the  torments  of  hell  were  eternal,  were  guiltv  of  infiniie 
folly,  in  rushing  into  such  an  endless  misery,  ahhough  dread- 
ful,infinitely  beyond  their  comprehension.  And  why  might  not 
I  have  known,  that  a  conviction,  without  a  comprehension, 
of  God's  infinite  worthiness  to  be  loved,  honoured,  and  obey- 
ed, would  render  me  infinitely  to  blame,  in  treating  him  with 
disrespect  and  contempt !  I  might  have  known  it.  But  1 
loved  darkness  rather  than  light.  I  loved  the  ways  of  sin  ; 
and  God  was  not  in  all  my  thoughts !  But  now,  alas  !  the 
day  is  come  !  And  I  am  at  the  bar,  ready  to  receive  my 
final  doom  !  God  is  just !  My  mouth  is  stopped  !  I  am 
self-condemned  !"  Thus,  at  the  day  of  judgment,  the  sin- 
ner's reason  and  conscience  will  be  thoroughly  convinced, 
that  he  deserves  to  be  punished  ;  all  his  impotency  notwith- 
standing, and  that,  even  with  the  eternal  torments  of  hell. 
And  so  that  will  be,  not  only  a  day  of  wrath,  but  also  of  the 
revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God*.  And  since  all 
mankind  must  see  the  justice  of  God's  law,  sooner  or  later ; 
would  it  not  be  wiser  for  them  who  esteem  themselves  the 
wits  of  the  world,  instead  of  endeavouring  to  blind  their  minds 
by  false  reasonings,  rather  to  lay  open  their  minds  honestly  to 
the  light,  while  there  is  yet  hope  in  their  case  ?  since  other- 
wise, with  all  their  boasted  wit,  they  themselves,  to  their  urn 

/  Rom.  ii.  5. 


THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER,  3§L 

speakable  regret,  will  eternally  think  they  acted  the  part 
of  fools. 

Thus,  then  to  sum  up  all  in  a  few  words,  it  appears  that  the 
law  from  Mount  Sinai,  given  immediately  by  God  himself,  to 
the  whole  congregation  of  Israel,  required  sinless  perfection, 
as  the  condition  of  eternal  life ;  and  for  the  least  failing 
threatened  eternal  damnation  ;  and  therefore,  by  this  law,  not 
any  could  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  and  yet  the  whole 
congregation  were  obliged  heartily  to  approve  this  law  to  be 
strictly  just  in  all  its  rigour;  which  if  they  did,  would  pre- 
pare them  to  understand,  believe,  approve  of,  and  comply 
with  the  Gospel  ;  and  so  the  law  was  in  its  own  nature,  suit- 
ed to  be  a  school-master  to  bring  them  to  Christ,  that  they 
might  be  justified  by  faith.  And  the  law  of  nature,  being  for 
substance  the  same  with  that  from  Mount  Sinai,  is  suited  to 
answer  the  same  end,  with  respect  to  the  Gentile  nations,  who 
were  never  under  the  Jewish  dispensation.  And  so  Jew  and 
Greek  are  all  under  sin  ;  the  whole  world  stand  guilty  before 
God ;  and  by  their  own  virtue  or  goodness,  no  flesh  can  be 
justified  in  his  siglit,  and  so  all  stand  in  absolute  perishing 
need  of  Christ,  and  free  grace.  And  now,  upon  a  review  of 
all  that  has  been  said,  the  following  remarks  and  inferences 
may  justly  be  made  : 

1.  "  The  law  of  Moses,  and  St.  Paul's  manner  of  reasoning 
upon  it,  are  inconsistent  with  the  Arminian  scheme  of  reli- 
gion, and  do  as  effectually  confute  it,  as  the  scheme  of  the 
Pharisees,  and  Pharisaical  Christians  of  that  age." 

One  of  the  most  fundamental  maxims  in  the  ArminiaH 
scheme,  is,  "  that  in  the  nature  of  things,  it  is  not  just  for 
God  to  require  more  of  his  creatures  than  they  can  do,  and 
then  threaten  to  punish  them  for  not  doing  2."  And  when 

g  And  so  they  suppose,  that  God  was  bound  in  justice  to  make  some  abate- 
ments in  his  law,  and  to  bring  it  down  to  a  level  with  our  present  state  ;  and  yet 
are  so  absurd  and  inconsistent,  as  to  suppose,  that  Christ  died  to  purchase  these 
abatements,  i.  e.  died  to  get  justice  done  us.  And  if  we  will  yield  sincere  obe- 
dience to  this  new  abated  law,  we  shall  be  justified  and  saved.  This  sincere  obe- 
dience, it  seems,  is  the  utmost  that  God  injustice  can  require  of  us.  So  then, 
if  we  yield  this,  we  shall  be  justified,  because  we  have  come  up  to  the  rule  of  our 
duty.  Or,  if  we  have  any  defects,  (i.  e.  are  not  so  sincere  as  we  should  be,) 
Christ  wUl  make  up  for  them.  These  are  th*  notions  of  many,  and  they  for  sub- 


4O  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

they  are  told,  that  we  ought  to  distinguish  between  that  ina- 
bility which  consists  in,  or  results  from,  the  want  of  natural 
faculties,  as  a  man  that  has  no  legs  cannot  waik,  a  man  that 
has  no  hands  cannot  work,  &c. ;  in  which  cases,  men  ought 
not  to  be  commanded  to  do  what  they  cannot,  and  then  pu- 
nished for  not  doing,  it  being  manifestly  unjust,  as  is  acknow- 
ledged on  all  sides :  I  say,  when  they  are  told  that  we  ought 
to  distinguish  between  such  a  kind  of  inability,  and  that 
which  consistsin  and  results  from  a  bad  and  WICKED  HEART  ; 
as  "Joseph's  brethren  hated  him,  and  could  not  speak  peace- 
ably to  him  V  the  Pharisees  hated  Christ,  and  could  not 
hear  his  words, l  &e. ;  in  which  cases,  common  sense  teaches 
that  men  are  not  the  less  to  blame  for  their  inability,  and  may 
justly  be  commanded  to  do  their  duty,  and  punished  if  they 
do  it  not.  I  sa}r,  when  the  Arminians  are  told  of  this  distinc- 
tion, they  say  "  there  is  nothing  in  it,  it  is  a  mere  metaphysi- 
cal nicety,  inability  is  inability,  if  men  cannot  they  cannot, 
and  it  is  impossible  it  should  be  just  in  God  to  require  of  his 
creatures  what  they  cannot  do,  and  then  damn  them  for  not 
doing." 

Well,  be  it  so  ;  how  then  will  they  reconcile  their  scheme 
with  the  laze  of  Moses  ?  Did  not  the  law  of  Moses  require 
perfect  obedience  ?  It  is  plain  it  did.  It  is  a  fact  that  can- 
not be  denied.  Arminians,  Pelagians,  Socinians,  that  are  men 

stance,  being  the  very^ame  the  Pharisaical  Galatians  had,  St.  Paul's  arguments 
lie  full  against  them.  And  was  St.  Paul  to  deal  with  them,  he  would  say,  "  I, 
Paul,  say  unto  you,  that  your  duties  will  not  save  you,  Unless  you  yield  a  perfect 
obedience.  And  while  you  seek  to  be  justified  by  your  own  goodness,  Christ  will 
be  of  no  effect  to  you,  will  make  up  for  none  of  your  failings.  Gal.  v.  3,  4,  5. 
Therefore,  every  man  of  you,  that  is  of  this  self-righteous  disposition,  is  under  the 
CURSE."  Gal.iii.  10. 

N.  B.  It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  the  apostle's  argument  is  not,  "  you 
are  not  sincere  in  your  obedience  :  therefore  you  cannot  be  justified."  Nor  would 
this  have  been  so  convinciug ;  because  the  men  he  had  to  deal  with,  verily 
thought  they  were  sincere.  But  his  argument  is,  "  you  are  not  perfect  in  your 
obedience  :  therefore  you  cannot  be  justified."  Now  they  had  nothing  to  say, 
only,  that  they  hoped  Christ  would  make  up  for  their  defects.  (But,  says  the 
apostle,  "  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing") — Unless,  they  added,  "  if  we  cannot 
be  saved  by  our  duties,  what  good  do  they  do  >"  Wherefore  then  serveth  the 
law  ? — "  To  be  a  school-master,"  says  Paul,  "  to  bring  you  to  Christ,  that  ye 
might  be  justified  by  faith." 

h  Gen.  xxxvii.  4.  i  John  viii.  43. 


THE   LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  41 

of  learning  do  not  pretend  to  deny  it.  Well,  had  the  whole 
congregation  of  Israel  POWER,  in  the  sense  Arminians  use 
the  word,  to  yield  perfect  obedience,  in  heart  and  life,  all 
their  lives  long,  without  ever  failing  in  the  least  degree,  in 
any  one  point,  at  any  one  time  ?  It  is  plain  they  had  not. 
Yea,  no  Arminian  ever  pretended  they  had.  Well,  when 
the  Levites  said,  cursed  be  the.  man  that  confirmtth  not  all 
the  Kords  of  this  law  to  do  them,  were  not  all  the  people  to 
say,  Amen,  and  so  approve  the  law  in  all  its  rigour  ?  This 
again  is  plain  fact.  So  that  here  the  Arminian  has  no  meta- 
physical niceties,  (as  he  loves  to  call  those  clear  distinctions, 
and  conclusive  arguments,  which  he  is  not  able  fairly  to  get 
rid  of,)  to  "grapple  with  ;  but  plain  facts — facts  acknowledg- 
ed on  all  hands.  Now  facts  are  stubborn  things. — Here  we 
see  God  gave  a  law,  required  more  than  they  could  do,  de- 
nounced the  curse  against  the  man  that  failed  in  the  least 
point ;  and  yet,  in  express  contradiction,  the  Arminian  says, 
"  it  is  absolutely  unjust  for  God  to  require  more  of  his  crea- 
tures than  they  can  do,  and  then  threaten  to  punish  them  for 
not  doing."  Wherefore  it  is  manifest,  that  the  Arminian 
scheme  is,  in  this,  directly  inconsistent  with  the  law  of  Moses. 
And  therefore,  if  the  law  of  Moses  came  from  God,  their 
scheme  in  this  fundamental  maxim,  and  in  all  that  depends 
upon  it,  is  false. 

This  is  a  short  and  easy  way  to  confute  the  Arminian. 
scheme,  quite  level  with  the  capacity  of  common  people,  who 
are  not  so  well  able  to  attend  to  a  long  chain  of  arguments. 
And  it  was  designed  by  a  God  of  infinite  wisdom,  who  knows 
how  to  let  in  light  upon  weak  and  ignorant  minds,  in  effect, 
for  this  very  purpose.  For  it  was  designed  to  convince  men 
that,  in  themselves,  they  are  absolutely  lost  and  undone.  And 
every  thing  meets  in  this  method  of  confuting  the  Arminian 
scheme,  which  could  be  desired  to  give  the  fullest  satisfac- 
tion to  the  minds  of  men.  For  the  argument  is  not  founded 
upon  here  and  there  a  dark  text  of  Scripture,  of  doubtful 
signification,  and  seemingly  capable  of  several  different  mean- 
ings; but  upon  the  plain  nature  of  the  whole  Mosaic  dispen- 
sation ;  upon  facts  so  evident,  as  to  be  acknowledged  on  all 
hands.  Nor  is  there  so  much  as  room  left  to  suspect  that  we 


VOL.  III. 


42  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

misunderstand  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  and  view  the  facts 
in  a  wrong  light,  inasmuch  as  St.  Paul  has  led  the  way  be- 
fore us,  and  under  divine  inspiration,  has  shown  this  to  be 
the  nature  and  design  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  viewing 
the  facts  in  the  same  light,  and  arguing  from  them  in  the 
same  manner,  as  has  been  already  observed.  That  if  we  may 
give  credit  to  the  law  of  Moses,  or  to  the  great  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles,  or  to  a  method  of  reasoning  full  of  light  and  de- 
monstration, or  to  all  together,  we  may  sit  down  here  fully 
satisfied. 

And  as  the  law  of  Moses,  and  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  are  in 
a  perfect  harmony  ;  and,  as  on  this  account,  what  is  incon- 
sistent with  one,  must  be  with  the  other;  so  it  is  manifest 
from  the  apostle's  manner  of  reasoning,  that  the  aforesaid 
Arminian  maxim  is  quite  inconsistent  with  the  Gospel.  For, 
according  to  that  maxim,  mankind  have  power  to  do  that 
which  would  entitle  them  to  the  favour  of  God,  if  Christ  had 
never  died.  But,  says  St.  Paul,  if  there  had  been  a  law  rehich 
could  have  given  fife,  verily  righteousness  had  come  by  the  law. 
And  if  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is  dead  in 
vain.  Gal.  ii.  21.  and  Chap.  iii.  21  k. 

k  If  the  Arminian  scheme  is  inconsistent  with  the  law  and  with  the  Gospel, 
it  will  unavoidably  follow,  that  the  religious  exercises  of  those  who  are  Armi- 
nians  at  heart,  are  not  in  conformity  to  law  or  Gospel,  but  of  a  contrary  nature  ; 
even  their  love  to  God,  their  faith  in  Christ,  their  repentance,  their  sincere  obe- 
dience, and  every  other  branch  of  their  religion.  The  whole  spirit  and  frame  of 
their  minds  is  contrary  to  law,  and  to  Gospel,  just  as  their  scheme  of  religion  is_ 
And  indeed,  the  scheme  of  religion  they  have  in  their  heads,  grows  up  out  of  the 
frame  of  their  hearts.  They  are  both  of  the  same  nature.  They  feel  as  they  be- 
lieve, "  it  is  not  just  for  God  to  require  sinless  perfection  on  pain  of  eternal  dam- 
nation. If  1  do  as  well  as  1  can,  it  is  not  fair  I  should  be  damned." — They  would 
not  love  God,  if  they  did  not  think  he  was  of  their  opinion.  Their  faith  in  Christ, 
and  their  hopes  of  heaven,  harmonize  with  these  opinions  ;  and  so  does  their  re- 
pentance, and  their  obedience.  So  that  if  these  principles  are  inconsistent  with 
law  and  Gospel,  it  will  follow,  the  whole  system  of  the  religion  of  their  hearts  is  so 
too  ;  the  scheme  in  their  heads,  and  the  religion  of  their  hearts,  being  exactly 
suited  to  each  other. 

Some  comfort  themselves  much,  that  the  righteousness  of  the  scribes  and  phari- 
sees,  which  Christ  and  his  apostles  had  so  low  an  opinion  of,  had  nothing  of  the 
nature  of  true  virtue  in  it ;  supposing  this  to  be  the  only  reason  they  could  not  be 
justified  by  it.  Little  thinking  that  it  is  their  own  case  ;  that  there  is  not  the 
lepst  real  goodness  in  all  their  religion — But  it  is  sometimes  so,  that  what  it 
highly  esteemed  among  men,  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God.  Luke  xvi.  15. 


THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER.  43 

I  think,  in  this  the  Arminians  are  much  more  consistent. 
For  while  they  maintain,  "  that  God  cannot  justly  require 
more  of  us  than  we  can  do  ourselves,"  they  add,  "  that  we 
did  not  need  Christ  to  obey  or  die  in  our  stead,"  and  ac- 
cordingly, they  say,  "  he  never  designed  any  such  thing." 
But  then,  if  God  Almighty  had  designed  to  guard  against 
their  scheme,  and  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  reception  of  the 
doctrine  of  atonement  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  it  is  hard  to 
say,  how  he  could  possibly  have  done  it  to  better  purpose, 
than  he  has  done  in  the  Mosaic  dispensation. 

No  serious,  pious  Jew,  who  understood  the  law,  as  requir- 
ing sinless  perfection  under  pain  of  eternal  damnation,  and 
who  had  heard  the  CURSE,  and  heartily  said  AMEN,  could 
have  embraced  the  Arminian  scheme,  or  ever  once  believed 
their  fundamental  maxim.  Nor  could  any  serious,  pious 
Jew,  who  had  seen  the  High-Priest,  from  year  to  year,  on 
the  great  day  of  atonement,  lay  his  hands  on  the  head  of 
the  scape-goat,  and  confess  over  him,  and  lay  upon  him 
all  the  iniquities  and  sins  of  the  children  of  Israel ;  and  who 
had  himself,  scores  of  times,  with  a  humble  and  broken 
heart,  brought  a  bullock  or  a  ram  before  the  Lord,  and  laid 
his  hands  on  his  head,  that  he  might  die  in  his  room,  and 
make  atonement  for  his  sin,  that  it  might  be  forgiven  him  ; 
I  say,  no  such  pious  Jew  could  possibly  have  embraced  the 
Socinian  scheme,  or  ever  rejected  the  doctrine  of  Christ's 
atonement. 

The  Arrainians  and  Socinians  are  angry  at  creeds,  con- 
fessions, and  catechisms;  because  they  are  taught  to  chil- 
dren, and  tend  to  prejudice  the  rising  generation  against 
their  scheme.  But  no  creeds,  no  confessions,  no  catechisms, 
were  ever  so  framed  to  prejudice  one  against  Arminianism 
and  Socinianism,  as  the  law  of  the  great  GOD  given  at 
Mount  Sinai.  Creeds,  confessions,  catechisms,  contain  only 
a  number  of  words  and  sentences.  But  here  in  the  law  of 
Moses  every  thing  was  acted  over,  and  that  exceedingly  to 
the  life.  God  spake  the  law  HIMSELF,  and  that  with  an  ex- 
ceeding loud  voice.  It  thundered  and  lightened,  the  moun- 
tain quaked  and  trembled,  God  appeared  like  the  flame  of  a 
devouring  fire  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  congregation  of  Israel' 


44  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

And  thus  the  greatness  and  majesty,  the  holiness  and  autho- 
rity of  God,  were  represented,  and  brought  into  clear  view; 
and  thus  the  law  was  set  home.  And  half  the  tribes  stood  on 
Mount  Gerizzim,  and  half  the  tribes  stood  upon  Mount  Ebal, 
and  while  the  Levites,  before  all  the  congregation,  repeated 
the  curse  twelve  times  going,  all  the  people  answered,  and 
said,  AMEN.  And  thus,  the  reasonableness  and  equity  of  the 
law  was  visibly  represented  in  this  public  transaction.  And 
yearly  and  monthly,  and  weekly  and  daily,  in  a  variety  of 
most  significant,  solemn,  and  public  transactions,  the  sub- 
stitution of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  spot,  to  die  as  an 
atonement  for  sin,  that  sin  might  be  forgiven,  was  visibly  re- 
presented. So  that  it  seems  beyond  the  art  of  man  to  con- 
trive any  method  more  wisely  suited  to  set  the  guilty,  lost, 
perishing  state  of  the  sinner,  and  the  doctrine  of  atonement, 
in  a  more  clear  and  striking  light  than  it  is  in  the  law  of 
Moses  ;  especially,  as  now  explained  to  us  by  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  Well,  therefore,  in  so  clear  a  case,  and  in  points  of 
so  great  importance,  might  the  divinely  inspired  apostle  say, 
as  in  Gal.  i.  8,  Q.  If  any,  though  an  angel  from  heaven, 
preach  any  other  Gospel,  let  him  be  ACCURSED.  Nor 
have  those,  who  after  all  venture  to  do  so,  just  reason  to  ex- 
pect to  escape  the  apostle's  repeated  curse.  In  all  things 
lawful,  the  apostle  would  readily  become  all  things  to  all  men, 
for  he  was  of  a  very  condescending  disposition.  But  when 
any  of  the  great  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  were  assaulted,  he 
would  not  abate  one  hair ;  for  he  was  no  trimmer ;  he  was  no 
man-pleaser ;  but  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ.  Nor  are  those 
ministers,  who  seek  to  please  an  ungodly  world  by  curtailing 
the  Gospel  of  Christ,  any  of  them,  the  servants  of  Christ, 
according  to  the  judgment  of  the  inspired  apostle.  Gal.  i. 
10.  Iff  pleased  man,  1  should  not  be  the  servant  of  Christ. 

Indeed,  there  have  been  by  those  who  expect  to  be  justi- 
fied by  their  sincere  obedience,  various  ways  contrived  to 
evade  the  apostle's  arguments,  and  escape  his  curse  ;  but  all 
equally  vain.  Which  way  soever  they  turn,  St.  Paul  is 
ready  to  answer  them,  and  stop  up  their  way,  and  shut  them 
up  under  sin,  and  shut  them  up  to  (he  faith. 

Sometimes  they  say,  "  the  Gulatians  expected  to  be  justi- 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  45 

fied  by  circumcision,  and  observing  the  other  rites  of  the 
ceremonial  law,  which  being  abolished,  there  was  no  virtue 
in  these  their  unrcquired  duties,  and  so  they  could  not  be 
justified  by  them."  But  St.  Paul's  argument  was  not,  "you 
trust  in  duties,  which  God  does  not  require:  therefore  by 
these  duties  you  cannot  be  justified."  But  it  was  this,  "  you 
do  not  yield  perfect  obedience  to  the  whole  law  ;  therefore 
you  cannot  be  justified."  Therefore, 

They  say,  "  it  is  true,  we  cannot  be  justified  by  a  law  that 
requires  sinless  perfection,  nor  do  we  expect  it.  But  this 
does  not  prove  but  that  our  sincere  obedience  will  justify  us 
through  Christ,  according  to  the  Gospel."  But  St  Paul's 
argument  was  not,  "you  expect  to  be  justified  by  sinless  per- 
fection, but  cannot."  But  it  was  this  :  "  you  expect  to  be 
justified  by  an  obedience  short  of  sinless  perfection  ;  but  no 
obedience  short  of  sinless  perfection  will  justify  you.  For 
Christ  will  not  make  up  for  your  defects.  He  will  profit  you 
nothing,  if  you  go  this  way  for  justification  l." 

Again,  they  say,  "  the  obedience  of  the  Galatians  was  not 
sincere.  And  that  was  the  reason  they  could  not  be  justified 
by  it.  But  our  obedience  is  sincere."  But  St.  Paul's  argu- 
ment was  not ;  "  your  obedience  is  not  sincere  ;  therefore 

I  Gal.  v.  2.  Behold,  I  Paul,  say  unto  you,  that  if  ye  be  circumcised,  Chritt 
shall  profit  you  nothing.  Not  that  circumcision,  merely  of  itself,  would  seclude 
them  from  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel.  For  Paul  circumcised  Timothy.  Acts. 
xvi.  3.  Not  that  by  their  being  circumcised,  they  meant  to  renounce  Christianity, 
and  embrace  Judaism.  For  they  had  not  a  thought  of  that,  as  is  plain  from  the 
whole  epistle.  But  because  they  trusted  in  their  circumcision,  and  in  their  other 
religious  performances,  to  recommend  them  to  i lie  favour  of  God,  and  entitle 
them  to  eternal  life.  Not  that  they  looked  upon  their  obedience  as  perfect : 
for  they  never  ouce  imagined  that  sinless  perfection  was  necessary,  or  ever 
thought  they  were  bound  to  keep  the  whole  law.  Ver.  3-— Nor  that  they  trusted 
in  their  imperfect,  sincere  obedience,  without  any  dtpendauce  on  Christ :  for 
they  were  so  strong  in  the  faith,  that  Christ  would  profit  them,  and  be  of  effect  to 
them,  that  St  Paul  could  hardly  beat  them  off  from  their  false  hopes.  He  speaks, 
as  knowing  they  would  not  readily  believe  him.  BEHOLD,  I  PAUL,  SAY  UNTO 
YOU  :  and  so  truly  as  I  am  divinely  inspired,  you  may  depend  upon  it ;  Christ 
will  profit  you  nothing  :  will  make  up  for  none  of  your  failings,  as  you  vainly  ex- 
pect. So  that  it  appears,  the  Galatians  professed  Christianity,  and  depended  upon 
Christ,  and  hoped  that  through  him,  they,  by  their  sincere,  although  imperfect 
obedience,  should  obtain  the  favour  of  God,  and  eternal  life.  Just  as  our  Armi- 
nians  do  now-a-days.  Nor  is  there  any  essential  difference  between  their  scheme*. 


46  THE  IAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

you  cannot  be  justified  by  it.''     But  it  was,  "  your  obedience 
is  not  perfect:  therefore  you  cannot  be  justified  by  it." 

Again,  they  say,  "  Christ  has  purchased  an  abatement  of 
the  law  ;  and  promised  justification  to  our  sincere  obedience." 
But  St.  Paul  says,  "  the  law  is  not  abated  one  tittle  ;  but  re- 
quires sinless  perfection  still :  and  curses  the  man  that  ever 
at  any  time  fails  in  the  least  point.  Nor  will  any  obedience 
justify,  short  of  perfection."  So  that  which  way  soever  they 
turn,  St.  Paul  meets  them,  and  there  is  no  escape. 

<e  Yes,"  say  they,  "  we  hold  justification  by  faith,  just  as  St. 
Paul  did.  By  faith  he  meant  sincere  obedience,  and  so  do 
we."  "  No,  no,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  if  by  faith  you  mean  sin- 
cere obedience,  you  cannot  be  justified  by  it  ;  for  I  constant- 
ly affirm,  that  no  obedience  short  of  sinless  perfection  can 
justify  you.  If  you  will  be  justified  by  obedience,  it  must  be 
perfect.  Sincere  obedience  will  not  answer.  For  it  is  writ- 
ten, cursed  ?'§  every  man  that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 

Seeing,  then,  nothing  is  to  be  done  with  St.  Paul,  but  still 
he  will  be  against  them,  therefore  they  run  to  St.  James  to 
help  them  against  St.  Paul,  and  look  all  over  the  bible  for 
help.  And  so  having  strengthened  themselves  by  pervert- 
ing some  passages  of  Scripture,  they  venture  out,  and  boldly 
say,  "That  if  St.  Paul  does  in  fact  mean  that  our  sincere 
obedience  will  not  justify  us,  he  contradicts  almost  the  whole 
bible,  which  constantly  declares,  that  repentance  is  absolute- 
ly necessary  to  forgiveness;  that  we  are  justified  by  our 
works,  and  not  by  faith  only ;  that  none  but  good  men  shall 
ever  be  saved  ;  yea,  that  keeping  the  commands  is  what  gives 
a  right  to  the  tree  of  life." 

Doubtless,  these  men,  had  they  lived  in  the  apostle's  day, 
would  have  been  as  zealous  against  St.  Paul,  as  ever  any 
were  at  Galatia  or  Antioch.  Nor  would  his  single  authority 
have  satisfied  them.  And^if  a  word  or  sentence  of  another 
sound  at  any  time  dropped  from  any  other  of  the  apostles,  on 
whatever  subject  they  were  preaching,  it  would  have  been 
picked  up  with  joy,  to  prove  St.  Paul's  scheme  to  be  singular. 
It  was  this  same  spirit  which  obliged  St.  Paul  to  write  this 
laboured  epistle,  to  vindicate  himself  and  establish  the  truth. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  47 

And  he  plainly  demonstrates  that  their  scheme  was  contrary 
to  the  law  of  Moses,  and  to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
pronouuceth  the  man  accursed  that  ventured  to  preach  it. 
Vain  is  it,  therefore,  now,  to  bring  in  a  detached  sentence  or 
two,  from  here  and  there  in  the  bible,  to  overset  a  doctrine 
that  St.  Paul  affirms  and  proves  cannot  be  overset,  without 
oversetting  both  law  and  Gospel.  These  men  must  prove  that 
St.  Paul's  words  did  actually  mean  some  other  thing,  or  they 
must  believe  him  to  be  right,  or  they  must  call  his  inspiration 
into  question,  as  some  of  the  same  stamp  did  1700  years 
ago.  But  it  is  not  all  the  wit  of  man  can  ever  show  St.  Paul's 
words  capable  of  any  sense  consistent  with  the  common  Ar- 
rninian  scheme.  They  have  tried,  but  all  in  vain,  this  many 
a  year,  till  many  have  argued  themselves  into  down- 
right infidelity ;  for  he  could  not  have  framed  his  argument 
better,  had  he  been  to  have  written  against  Arminianism  in 
its  very  present  dress.  As  to  the  sentences  of  a  different 
sound  here  and  there  in  the  bible,  which  they  refer  to,  their 
consistence  with  St.  Paul's  doctrine  hath  been  often  shown  by 
divines;  and  till  these  men  have,  at  least,  attempted  an  an- 
swer, it  is  needless  to  offer  much  at  present™.  However,  I 
will  just  observe, 

FIRST.  That  it  is  true,  "that  repentance n  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  the  forgiveness  of  sins."  For  it  belongs  to  the 
very  essence  of  justifying  faith,  which  ^implies  in  its  nature 
such  a  sense  of  the  great  evil  of  sin,  as  effectually  turns  the 
heart  from  it  to  God,  to  be  on  his  side,  and  on  the  side  of 
his  law,  against  sin  and  self,  as  I  shall  presently  show.  And 
yet  this  is  nothing  against  St.  Paul's  doctrine,  as  I  shall^also 
make  appear  under  the  next  inference. 

SECONDLY.  "  There  is  not  the  least  difficulty  in  what  St. 
James  says,  of  Abraham's  being  justified  by  works  and  not  by 

m  This  was  done  in  Mr.  Edwards'  Sermon  on  Justification,  printed  at  Boston, 
{N.  E.)  20  rears  ago,  to  which,  any  answer,  as  yet,  never  has  been  attempted. 

n  And  because,  where  there  is  true  repentance,  there  is  always  a  disposition 
heartily  to  forgive  those  that  have  injured  us,  and  no  where  else  ;  therefore  our 
Saviour  teaches  us,  that  those,  and  those  only,  may  expect  forgiveness  from  God, 
who  do  from  tfte  heart  forgive  others.  Matt.  vi.  14,  15. — Those  who  have  not  an 
heart  to  forgrve  and  IOYC  their  enemies,  are  impenitent,  unhumbled,  Christies? 


i»  THE  LAW  OUR    SCHOOL-MAS  FEB. 

faith  alone  "  It  being  so  very  plain,  in  what  respact  he  was 
justified  by  works,  when  he  offered  up  his  son  Isaac.  Only 
turn  back  to  the  twenty-second  Chapter  of  Genesis,  and  there 
3*011  may  read  the  whole  story,  and  you  cannot  be  at  a  loss. 
And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things,  i.  e.  fifty  years  after 
Abram  had  been  in  a  justified  state,  (Heb.  xi.  8.)  that  God 
did  tempt,  (i.  e.  try,)  Abraham.  Take  now  thy  SON,  thine  ON- 
LY SON  ISAAC,  rchom  thou  LOVEST,  and  get  thce  into  the 
land  of  Moriah,  and  O^THIM  there  fora  BURNT-OFFERING, 
See.  Abraham,  whose  love  to  God  was  supreme,  readily 
obeyed.  Now  follows  his  justification,  in  these  very  words; 
ver.  12.  NOW  i  KNOW  THAT  THOU  F BAREST  GOD,  seeing 
thou  hast  not  withheld  thy  SON,  Mine  ONLY  SON.  And  in- 
deed this  was  sufficient  proof  that  he  did  fear  God.  And 
thus  he  showed  hisjaith,  which  he  had  had  about  50  years,  by 
his  works.  And  now  he  might  with  peculiar  propriety  be  called 
the  friend  of  God.  And  in  this  same  sense  all  true  believers 
tire  justified  by  works ;  i.  e.  by  external  visible  acts  of  obe- 
dience, under  great  trials,  it  becomes  manifest  that  they  do 
fear  God:  while  stony  ground  hearers  at  the  same  time  fall 
away0.  All  which  has  not  the  least  show  of  inconsistency 
with  our  being  justified  by  faith  without  works,  in  the  sense, 
and  according  to  the  language  of  St.  Paul. 

THIRDLY.  And  if  the  whole  bible  does  constantly  declare, 
tc  that  none  but  good  men  shall  ever  be  saved  ;"  so  does  St. 
Paul  too. — But  this  does  not  prove  "  that  they  are  saved  by 
their  goodness." 

FOURTHLY.  Yea,  it  is  constantly  maintained  by  St.  Paul, 
and  by  all  the  apostles,  "  that  perseverance  in  all  holy  living 
through  all  the  great  trials  they  ma}'  meet  with,  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  an  admittance  into  heaven  at  last.  Compare 
Uev.  ii.  7.  11.  17.  26.  and  Chap.  iii.  5.  12.  21.  with  Rev.  xxi. 
7.  and  Chap.  xxii.  14.  Yea,  St.  Paul,  speaking  to  true  b£- 
iievers,  says,  ?/ ye  five  aftfi'  the  flesh  ye  shall  die?.  But  this 
does  not  prove  that  they  are  justified,  or  saved  by  this  their 
goodness.  Yea,  notwithstanding  all  this,  and  in  a  perfect 
consistence  with  all  this,  it  remains  true,  that  we  are  saved  by 

o  Matt.  xiii.  p  Rom.  viii.  13. 


THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER.  49 

grace,  through  faith,  not  of  works  *.  But  how  .'  Why,  thus 
the  difficulty  may  be  easily  solved.  IVe  are  all  the  children 
of  God,  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ r.  And  if  children^  then  heirs  ; 
heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ,  to  the  heavenly  in- 
heritance *.  And  if  our  actual  enjoyment  of  the  heavenly 
inheritance  is  suspended,  upon  our  being  the  followers  of  God, 
as  dear  children',  this  is  but  a  proper  test  to  determine  our 
character.  For  some,  who  profess  to  be  children  of  God, 
fall  away,  like  the  stony-ground-hearers,  who  indeed  never 
had  any  root  in  themselves,  when  a  time  of  trial  comes*. 
Now,  if  we  persevere  through  all  trials,  it  proves  our  sinceri- 
ty ;  and  demonstrates,  that  we  were  not  merely  the  children 
of  God  in  ^iamt,  but  in  truth.  And  shows  that  we  did  real- 
ly believe  in  Christ,  not  with  a  dead,  but  with  a  true  and  Hy- 
ing faith.  Thus  Abraham,  in  this  sense,  \\asjustified  by  his 
works.  And  thus,  in  this  sense,  they  that  do  the  command- 
ments, have  right  to  the  tree  of  life.  For  NOW  I  KNOW  THAT 

THOU     FEAREST     GOD.       Now     I    KNOW    thou    art    a    TRUE 

CHILD  of  God  becomes  applicable  to  such.  And  if  chil- 
dren, then  heirs,  according  to  the  tenour  of  the  new  cove- 
nant. 

Yea,  I  may  add  that,  to  persevere  in  all  holy  living,  is  but 
to  show  the  heart,  and  act  up  to  the  character  of  a  true  child 
of  God.  It  is,  in  effect,  but  to  maintain  the  temper  of  a  child, 
And  this  is  but  the  same  thing,  viewed  in  another  point  of 
light,  with  that  faith  whereby  we  become  children.  For  jus- 
tifying faiih  implies  in  it  every  filial  grace,  as  we  shall  after- 
wards see.  So  that  perseverance  in  all  holy  living,  is  implied 
in  our  perseverance  in  faith.  But  it  is  necessary  we  should 
persevere  in  faith,  in  order  to  our  final  admittance  into  hea- 
ven, for  the  same  reason,  that  it  was  necessary  that  we  should 
be  first  united  to  Christ  by  faith,  in  order  to  our  being  inter- 
ested in  him.  Let  the  marriage  union  be  dissolved  between 
the  husband  and  the  wife,  and  the  woman  has  no  longer  any 
right  in  the  man's  estate.  It  is  necessary  that  they  continue 
united,  in  marriage,  that  she  may  have  right  to  his  estate. 
So,  it  is  necessary  that  we  continue  in  Christ,  that  we  may 

q  Eph.  ii.  8,  9.  r  Gal.  iii.  26.  29.        «  Rom.  viii  17 

t  Eph.  v.  i.  u  Matt  xiii.  20.  81. 

VOL.    III.  7 


5O  THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER. 

remain  the  children  of  God  through  him ;  that  being  children, 
we  may  be  heirs,  and  so  have  right  to  the  tree,  of  life  x.  But 
to  prevent  misunderstandings,  it  is  needful  to  observe  the 
contents  of  the  next  inference  *,  which,  now  at  length  I  pro- 
ceed unto. 

2.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  learn,  "  that  although 
we  are  justified  by  faith,  yet  we  are  not  justified  for  faith." 
That  is,  our  faith,  considered  as  something  holy,  virtuous, 
and  good  in  us,  is  not  that  which  recommends  us  to  God,  in 
whole,  or  in  part.  Nor  has  it,  viewed  in  this  point  of  light, 
any  hand  in  our  justification. — For, 

The  true  believer,  considered  as  in  himself,  without  any 
relation  to  Christ,  does,  in  strict  justice,  deserve  damnatioa 
after  he  believes,  as  much  as  he  did  before.  The  act  of  faith 
makes  no  amends  for  his  past  sins,  none  at  all.  The  account 
stands  just  as  it  did.  Only,  as  he  falls  short  of  sinless  perfec- 
tion every  moment ;  so  every  moment  he  merits  damnation 
afresh  ;  according  to  law:  a  law  holy,  just,  and  good.  And 
indeed,  it  must  in  reason  be  so.  For  if  we  should  perfectly 
devote  ourselves  to  God  in  heart  and  life  for  the  time  to 
come,  we  should  but  give  God  his  just  due  ;  for  we  are  his, 
wholly  his.  But  doing  our  duty  for  the  future,  cannot  make 
up  for  past  neglects,  any  more  than  our  paying  the  debts  we 
may  contract  for  the  time  to  come,  will  satisfy  for  debts  con- 
tracted in  time  past.  Besides,  our  sins  are  infinite  evils  :  but 
our  virtues  are  of  finite  worth:  but  finite  put  in  balance  to 
infinite  is  nothing.  For  when  it  is  substracted,  the  remainder 
is  still  infinite.  Therefore  only  the  mere  defects,  attending 
our  best  services,  our  highest  exercises  of  grace,  in  this  im- 
perfect state,  merit  eternal  damnation.  Nor  does  all  the 
grace  and  goodness  in  us  make  the  least  amends.  So  that 
the  believer,  in  his  purest  and  highest  act  of  faith,  considered 
as  in  himself,  without  any  relation  to  Christ,  merits  eternal 
damnation,  instead  of  justification  to  eternal  life. 

Or,  if  we  leave  speculation,  and  come  to  experience,  still 
the  point  before  us  appears  to  be  true.  "  For  the  believer 

x  John  XT.  6. 

y  If  the  reader  would  see  thU  subject  thoroughly  discussed,  let  him  read  Mr 
Edwards'  sermon  on  Justification  by  Faith  akne. 


THE  LAW   OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  51 

feels  that  hell  is  his  proper  due,  that  very  moment  he  exer- 
cises faith  in  Christ."  For  why  else  does  he  apply  to  the 
atonement  of  Christ?  For  if  he  does  not  deserve  to  go  to 
hell,  he  does  not  need  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  to  save  him  from 
hell.  His  looking  to  Christ  by  faith,  to  be  saved  from  hell, 
supposes  he  feels,  hell  to  be  his  proper  due.  Else,  it  is  a  mere 
mockery. 

But  it  is  plain  from  Moses,  and   from  St.  Paul,  "  that  no 
goodness   short  of  sinless  perfection  can   entitle  us  to  the 
favour  of  God."     Faith,  as  it  is  our  virtue,  cannot  do  it  any 
more  than  repentance,  or  sincere   obedience.     For  nothing 
short  of  sinless  perfection    can   do  it.      But  faith   is  not 
sinless   perfection.      Therefore   we  cannot  be   justified   on 
the  account   of  our  faith.     In  a  word,  St.  Paul's   reason- 
ings do  as  effectually  prove  that  faith  cannot  justify  us  in 
this  sense,  as  that  works  cannot.     And  indeed,  faith  viewed 
in  this  light,  is  as  much  a  work,  as  any  other  Christian  grace 
whatsoever,  or  as  any  external  act  of  obedience  a  man  can 
do.    And  he  that  depends  upon  his  faith  to  recommend  him 
to  God,  depends  upon  his  own  righteousness,  as  much  as  the 
Galatians  did.     He  is  in  the  same  scheme,  only  a  little  refin- 
ed.   There  is  no  essential  difference.    The  Galatians  trusted 
in  their  own  righteousness.      So  do  these.     The  Galatians 
nevertheless  hoped  and  expected  that  Christ  would  be  of 
some  effect  to  them,  and  profit  them  some.     And  so  do  these. 
The  Galatians  had  never  had  the  law  sufficiently  set  home 
upon  their  hearts.     So  it  is  with  these.    The  only  difference 
is,  that  the  Galatians  seem  to  have  trusted  chiefly  in  their 
external  religious  performances ;  and  these  trust  chiefly  in 
the  internal  religious  frame  of  their  hearts.     But  as  there 
was  nothing  of  the  nature  of  true  virtue  in  the  duties  of  the 
self-righteous  Galatians ;  so  there  is  nothing  of  the  nature 
of  true  faith,  in  the  faith  of  these  self-righteous  believers.     It 
being  as  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  faith  in  Christ,  for  a 
man  to  make  a  righteousness  of  his  faith,  as  it  is   to  make 
a  righteousness  of  any  thing  else. 

If  it  should  be  inquired,  "  in  what  sense  then  are  we  jus- 
tified by  faith  r"  I  answer — When  the  Jew  brought  a  bul- 
lock for  a  sin-offering,  and  presented  it  before  the  Lord,  and 


58  THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER. 

laid  his  hands  on  the  head  of  it,  that  it  might  die  in  his  stead, 
and  make  an  atonement  for  his  sin,  that  it  might  be  forgiven  j 
if  he  acted  understandingly,  and  uprightly,  it  implied  an 
hearty  approbation  of  the  law;  which  he  could  not  have, 
without  a  supreme  love  to  God  ;  which  would  naturally  lay 
the  foundation  for  repentance  and  sincere  obedience.  Yet 
it  was  not  that  approbation  of  the  law,  nor  that  love  to  God, 
nor  that  repentance,  nor  that  sincere  obedience,  nor  his 
bringing  the  bullock,  nor  his  laying  his  hands  ou  his  head, 
which  was  to  make  atonement  for  his  sin  ;  but  the  blood  of 
the  bullock ;  according  to  the  constant  language  of  the 
law  of  Moses.  So,  although  true  faith  in  Christ  implies  an 
hearty  approbation  of  the  law,  which  cannot  be  without  a 
supreme  love  to  God,  which  will  naturally  lay  a  foundation 
for  repentance  and  sincere  obedience ;  yet,  it  is  not  this 
hearty  approbation  of  the  lefw,  nor  this  supreme  love  to  God, 
nor  this  repentance,  nor  this  sincere  obedience,  no,  nor  the 
act  of  faith  itself,  that  makes  atonement  for  sin ;  but  only  the 
blood  of  Christ;  according  to  the  constant  language  of  the 
New  Testament.  Nor  are  any  of  these,  therefore,  to  be  de- 
pended upon  ;  but  only  Jesus  Christ.  Nor  can  faith  do  any 
thing  towards  justifying  us,  unless  as  it  UNITES  us  to  Christ. 
For  in  the  very  act  of  faith,  all  pretences  to  the  divine  favour 
on  our  own  account,  are  given  up ;  and  hell  is  owned  to 
be  our  due.  And  we  look  only  to  the  merits  and  atonement  of 
Christ :  leave  all  other  refuges,  and  fly  hither :  are  divorc- 
ed from  the  law,  and  married  to  Christ ;  according  to  the 
language  of  St.  Paul  z.  And  the  married  wife,  we  know, 
is  interested  in  her  husband's  estate.  For  they  two  are  be- 
come one  flesh  a.  They  are  one  in  law.  And  in  consequence 
of  this  relation,  this  union,  or  oneness,  she  is  interested  in  all  his 
riches  and  honour;  even  if  he  is  a  prince,  and  she  before 
but  a  poor,  despised  maid.  And  this  marriage  union,  St. 
Paul  considers,  as  resembling  the  union  between  Christ  and 
believers,  and  dwells  upon  it  at  large,  in  Eph.  v.  23 — 32. 
And  as  the  husband  pays  his  wife's  debts  ;  so  Christ  gave 
himself  for  his  Church,  to  pay  the  ten  thousand  talents  she 
owed,  and  to  redeem  her  to  himself,  to  be  his  wife.  To  be 

z  Rom.  vii.  a  Eph.  v.  31. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  S3 

for  ever  one  with  him  as  he  and  his  Father  are  owcb.  And 
therefore  a  new  convert  is  said  to  be  espoused  to  Christ*. 
For  in  the  first  act  of  faith,  the  match  is  made  for  eternity. 
And  the  whole  Church,  being  but  one  mystical  body,  is 
called  the  bride,  the  lamb's  wife  d.  And,  if  the  church  is  the 
lamb's  wife,  then  the  church  is  God's  daughter;  God's 
child  ;  and  every  true  believer  is  a  child  of  God.  As  it  is 
written,  as  many  as  received  himt  to  them  gave  he  power,  or  a 
right,  to  become  the  ions  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe 
on  his  name  *.  Wherefore  they  are  all  the  children  of  God  by 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ f.  And  if  children,  then  heirs ;  heirs  of 
God,  and  joint  htirs  with  Christ  *.  And  thus  by  faith  we  are 
united  to  Christ,  and  so  interested  in  him  and  in  all  blessings 
through  him.  And  this  is  the  reason  that  believers,  in  the 
constant  language  of  the  New  Testament,  are  said  to  be  in 
Christ.  But  Christ  is  God's  beloved  Son  ;  and  so  we  are  ac- 
cepted in  the  beloved  k.  And  after  our  persons  are  accepted, 
then  also  our  spiritual  sacrifices,  all  our  religious  duties  and 
holy  exercises,  in  which  we  present  ourselves  to  God,  as  a  liv- 
ing sacrifice ',  are  acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ  k.  And 
thus  we  are  justified  by  faith,  not  as  an  holy  act,  recommend- 
ing us  to  God ;  but  as  an  uniting  act,  uniting  us  to  Christ. 
Just  as  a  married  wife,  being  one  in  law  with  her  husband,  is 
consequently  interested  in  his  estate.  Not  because  her  marry- 
ing her  husband  was  an  act  of  virtue  ;  but  because  her  mar- 
riage made  her  one  with  him. 

St.  Paul  dearly  loves,  in  his  writings,  to  illustrate  Gospel-truths 
by  Jewish  types  ;  that  people,  their  law,  and  almost  all  God's 
dispensations  towards  them,  being  designed  by  God  to  be  sha- 
dows of  good  things  to  come.  The  earthly  Canaan  was  a  type  of 
the  heavenly;  and  Isaac,  the  promised  son,  was  a  type  of  Christ, 
the  promised  seed.  And  as  the  Israelites  were  entitled  to  the 
earthly  Canaan,  not  by  law,  but  by  promise,  the  promise 
made  to  Abraham  in  Gen.  xii.  in  which  God  made  a  grant 
of  all  that  country  to  him,  and  to  his  seed ;  so  it  was  not  any 

b  Jobs  xvii.  21.  c  2  Cor.  xi.  2.  d  Rev:  xxi.  9. 

e  John  i.  12  /Gal.  iii.  26.  g  Rom.  viiLl". 

h  Eph.  i.  «.  i  Rom.  xii.  1.  k  1  Pet.  ii.  5. 


54  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

goodness  in  Abraham's  seed,butonly  theirrelation  to  Abraham,, 
that  gave  them  a  title  to  that  good  land.  If  they  were  Abra- 
ham's seed,  they  were  heirs  according  to  the  promise.  The 
law,  which  was  given  430  years  after,  not  being  designed  lo 
disannul  their  former  title,  or  to  appoint  any  new  terms. — 
(Rom.  iv.  14.  Gal.  iii.  16,  17,  IS.)  Even  so  it  is  in  this 
case,  says  the  apostle.  Our  title  to  the  heavenly  Canaan  is  not 
by  law,  not  by  any  goodness  in  us,  but  if  we  are  Christ's,  then 
are  we  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise, 
(ver.  29.)  For  the.  promise  a>«s  to  Abraham  and  to  his  seed; 
not  to  seeds,  as  of  many  ;  but  as  of  one  to  thy  seed,  which  is 
Christ,  (ver.  16.)  And  so  Christ  was  appointed  heir  of  all 
things.  (Heb.  i.  2.)  Now  therefore,  if  we  are  Christ's,  i.  e. 
if  we  are  in  Christ,  by  faith,  we  are  joint  heirs  with  him.  And 
so  our  title  to  the  heavenly  Canaan  results,  not  from  any 
goodness  in  us ;  but  only  from  our  relation  to  Christ.  There- 
fore faith  justifies  us,  not  as  an  holy  act,  recommending  us  to 
God  ;  but  as  an  uniting  act,  uniting  us  to  Christ.  Just  as  a 
descendant  of  Abraham  was  entitled  to  the  earthly  Caanan  by 
birth  ;  not  because  it  was  a  virtue  to  be  born  of  Jewish  pa- 
rents, but  only  because  by  this  means  he  was  a  child  of  Abra- 
ham ;  and  so  an  heir  according  to  promise. 

And  thus  we  are  saved  bygract  through  faith ,  not  of  works, 
lest  any  man  should  boast1.  Not  in  the  least  degree,  or  in  any 
respect,  for  any  goodness  in  us,  considered  merely  as  in  our- 
selves, that  there  might  not  be  the  least  ground  of  boasting ; 
but  that  all  the  glory  might  be  given  to  free  grace  through 
Jesus  Christ m.  Arminians  and  Neonomians  suppose  it  is  in 
some  degree  for  some  goodness  in  us ;  and  so  take  some  of 
the  glory  to  themselves,  and  give  the  rest  to  Christ  and  free 
grace.  Socinians  suppose  they  are  justified  wholly  for  their 
own  goodness;  and  so  take  the  whole  glory  to  themselves. 
For  they  consider  Christ  on  the  cross,  not  as  a  sacrifice  of 
atonement ;  but  only  as  a  martyr.  But  St.  Paul  gives  quite 
all  the  glory  to  Christ  and  free  grace.  And  the  reason  is,  be- 
cause the  very  best  man  on  earth,  afresh  merits  eternal  dam- 
nation every  hour,  according  to  law,  and  strict  justice ;  and 
all  his  goodness  does  not  make  the  very  least  amends.  So 

I  Eph.  u.  8,  9.  m  Eph.  i.  6. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  55 

the  law,  which  is  a  school-master, by  divine  appointment  teach- 
eth.  O,  learn  this  !  and  then  you  will  understand  the  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  faith,  and  know  why  St.  Paul,  after 
all  his  attainments,  so  earnestly  desired  to  be  found  in  Christ n. 

3.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  see  "  what  views  and 
dispositions  are  absolutely  necessary,  in  order  to  a  sinner's  un- 
derstandingly  and  consistently  exercising  faith  in  Christ,  to 
the  end  he  may  be  justified  through  him.  He  must  have  a 
view  of  himself  as  he  is,  compared  with  the  law  ;  and  of  his 
state,  as  it  is,  according  to  law  :  and  heartily  approve  the  law, 
as*being  strictly  just. 

As  when  the  children  of  Israel  were  about  to  enter  into  the 
land  of  Canaan,  which  was  a  type  of  heaven,  the  law  was  by 
Moses  repeated  in  the  plains  of  Moab ;  and  just  as  they 
took  possession  of  the  holy  land,  they  were  obliged  to  signify 
their  hearty  approbation  of  the  whole  law  in  its  utmost  rigour, 
by  answering  AMEN,  twelve  times  going,  as  the  Levites  de- 
nounced the  curse ;  so,  before  a  sinner  can  come  to  Christ, 
and  be  through  him  entitled  to  the  heavenly  Canaan,  the 
commandment  must  come,  be  set  home  on  his  conscience,  that 
sin  may  revive,  and  his  guilty  state  appear,  and  all  his  hopes 
grounded  on  his  own  goodness  die.  Nor  can  he  consistently 
apply  to  Christ,  the  great  atonement,  unless  from  his  heart  he 
approves  the  law  by  which  he  stands  condemned,  as  strictly 
just. 

As  the  Israelites  had  no  titie  to  the  land  of  Canaan  by  law, 
in  consequence  of  their  own  righteousness,  being  a  stiff- 
necked  people,  but  only  by  the  promise  made  to  Abraham  ° ; 
so  it  was  fit  they  should  see,  and  be  thoroughly  sensible,  that 
God  did  not  do  those  great  things  for  them,  for  their  righte- 
ousness. And  therefore  such  a  method  was  by  God  taken 
with  that  generation  for  the  space  of  forty  years,  as  had  the 
most  direct  tendency  to  answer  this  end  P.  And  so  it  is,  in  a 
resembling  manner  with  sinners,  according  to  God's  ordinary 
way  of  preparing  them,  for  Christ;  and  a  title  to  eternal  life 
through  him.  For  they  were  our  ensamplts,  and  their  history 
was  written  for  our  instruction'1. 

n  Phil.  iii.  9.       o  Gal.  iii.  18.       p  Dcut.  viii.  and  ix.       <j  I  Cor.  x.  1J. 


56  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

But  inasmuch  as  the  necessity  of  a  preparatory  work  is 
denied  by  some,  and  the  nature  of  it  is  still  more  misunder- 
stood ;  therefore  let  us  stop  here  a  few  minutes,  and  see  what 
light  the  subject  we  have  been  upon  will  pour  in  upon  these 
points. 

The  necessity  of  preparation  for  Christ,  must,  without  dis- 
pute, be  granted  ;  or  we  shall  undermine  the  Jewish  dispen- 
sation, which  was  by  God  designed  for  this  very  purpose. 
God  intended  that  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ 
should  shine  into  this  benighted  world  ;  he  intended  it,  in  the 
days  of  Moses;  but  the  world  was  not  prepared  for  it  then. 
Therefore,  first  he  gives  the  law,  appoints  that  to  be  a 
school-master,  and  keeps  up  the  school  for  near  two  thou- 
sand years ;  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  Gospel-revelation : 
that  it  might  be  the  better  understood,  the  more  readily  be- 
lieved and  embraced.  God  saw  many  preparatory  lessons 
needed  to  be  taught,  and  that  the  necessity  was  so  great,  as 
that  it  was  best  to  delay  the  Gospel-dispensation,  and  set  up 
a  preparatory  school,  and  appoint  a  preparatory  school-mas- 
ter. So  that  there  needs  no  further  proof  of  the  necessity  of 
preparation,  in  order  to  faith  in  Christ ;  as  the  Mosaic  dis- 
pensation takes  this  for  granted,  and  was  chiefly  designed  to 
answer  this  endr.  For,  as  if  any  man  should  boldly  say,  that 
mankind  have  no  need  of  a  Saviour,  it  would  wholly  under- 
mine1 and  overthrow  the  Gospel-revelation  ;  which  takes  it 
for  granted  that  mankind  do  need  a  Saviour,  and  just  such  a 
Saviour  as  is  provided  ;  so,  if  any  man  should  boldly  say,  that 

r  OBJ.  "If every  particular  sinner  needs  the  law  to  be  his  school-master  to 
bring  him  to  Christ,  as  much  as  the  Jewish  nation  did,  why  was  the  Jewish  dis- 
pensation ever  to  be  at  an  end  ?  Why  was  it  not  to  be  perpetual  ? 

ANS.  1.  The  law  of  nature,  requiring  sinless  perfection,  on  pain  of  eternal 
damnation,  which  was  the  chief  part  of  the  law  given  at  Mount  Sinai,  all  the  ad- 
vantages of  which  new  edition,  or  republication  of  the  law  of  nature,  we  still  enjoy  ; 
I  say,  this  law  of  nature,  as  it  was  in  force  previous  to  the  Jewish  dispensation, 
among  all  nations ;  so  it  is  still.  And  by  it,  all  nations  ever  were,  and  still  are, 
exposed  to  the  everlasting  wrath  of  God,  as  the  Jews  were  by  their  law.  Nor  is 
there  any  escape  but  by  Christ.  Now  here  is  a  perpetual  school-master.  Rom. 
i.  18.  andiii.  9.  19.  Actjjiv.  12. 

2.  But  there  is  BOW  no  need  to  offer  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats,  or  constantly 
to  attend  to  and  look  upon  any  other  of  the  Jewish  shadows  ;  because  Christ  the 
substance  is  come.  Therefore  the  cereiuonhl  law  is  to  be  no  lonsrer  in  force. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  57 

nothing  is  wanting  to  prepare  a  sinner  for  Christ,  it  would 
undermine  and  overthrow  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  which 
takes  it  for  granted,  that  sinners  did  need  preparation,  and 
just  such  a  preparation  as  that  dispensation  was  suited  to 
work. 

Now,  read  through  the  whole  law  of  Moses,  with  the  histo- 
ry interspersed,  in  those  sacred  books,  of  God's  dealings  with 
the  children  of  Israel  those  forty  years  in  the  wilderness  ; 
and  it  will  appear  that  the  whole  is  admirably  suited  to  real- 
ize the  Being  and  perfections  of  God  ;  to  show  us  exactly 
how  he  looks  upon  himself,  and  how  he  stands  affected  to- 
wards sin.  "  I  AM  THE  LORD,''  he  says,  an  hundred  times; 
he  speaks  it  with  the  majesty  of  a  God,  and  he  shows  an  in- 
finite regard  to  his  own  honour,  and  expects  all  to  love  and 
worship  him,  to  fear  and  obey  him,  on  pain  of  death.  If  his 
anger  waxes  hot,  behold  !  the  earth  opens  her  mouth,  and  swal- 
lows tip  hundreds !  Or,  the  plague  rages,  to  kill  thousands  in  a 
moment  !  And  if  he  is  pleased  to  have  mercy,  and  not  exe- 
cute all  his  wrath,  it  is  like  an  absolute  sovereign  over  cri- 
minals that  have  no  claim. — /  will  hate  mercy  on  whom  I 
«•///  have  mercy  :  and  I  will  have  compassion  on  whom  I  rail 
hate  compassion  '.  Thus  they  are  in  the  hands  of  a  sovereign 
God.  Meanwhile,  the  law  teaches  that  no  mortal  can,  on 
the  account  of  his  own  goodness,  be  approved  of  God,  unless 
he  is  perfectly  holy  in  heart  and  life;  and  that  the  least 
defect  merits  and  exposes  to  eternal  damnation.  And  yet 
at  the  same  time,  forbids  a  complaining  thought,  and  obliges 
to  an  hearty  approbation.  Nor  could  the  poor,  guilty,  help- 
less Jew,  without  an  hearty  approbation  of  the  law,  with  any 
consistency,  lay  his  hands  on  the  head  of  the  consecrated 
animal,  and  present  it  to  die  in  his  room  ;  and  yet,  this  was 
the  onlit  door  of  hope  :  for,  without  shedding  o/  blood,  there 
was  no  remission.  And  now,  it  is  plain  what  views  and  dis- 
positions all  this,  effectually  realized  to  the  mind,  and  set 
home  upon  the  heart,  was  suited  to  work.  "  It  would  effectu- 
ally awaken  his  conscience,  and  bring  the  Jew  to  feel  what 
he  was  by  nature,  and  by  practice,  in  the  sight  of  God,  and 


„•  Exod.  xxxiii.  IP. 
VOL  111.  8 


58  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

compared  with  his  law ;  and  what  lie  stood  exposed  unto, 
without  any  possible  way  of  escape,  but  by  the  blood  of  atone- 
ment ;  which  yet  he  could  riot,  consistent!}7,  have  recourse 
unto  :  unless  first  he  heartily  approved  the  law,  in  all  its 
rigour,  as  strictly  just."  And  herein,  as  in  a  glass,  we  may 
see  the  true  nature  of  that  preparation  which  is  necessary 
in  order  to  exercise  faith  in  Christ. 

And  impartial  reason  approves  it  all.  For  is  it  fit  the  sin- 
ner should  be  pardoned,  before  he  sees  and  owns  what  he  is, 
and  wherein,  and  how  much  he  has  been  to  blame  ?  Or 
is  it  fit,  the  sinner  should  be  pardoned,  till  he  clearly  sees  he 
deserves  to  be  punished?  Or  is  it  fit,  a  sinner  should  be 
pardoned,  by  God  the  lawgiver,  before  he  sees  and  feels  the 
law  is  just,  by  which  he  stands  condemned;  so  as  to  cease 
complaining ;  yea,  so  as  actually  to  approve,  justify,  and 
acquiesce  in  it,  as  quite  right  and  altogether  equitable  ?  Or 
can  a  sinner  till  then  see  any  proper  and  rational  ground 
for  an  atonement?  Or  discern  his  need  of  Christ?  Or 
see  the  true  beauty  and  glory  of  the  Gospel-way  of  life  ? 
Or  heartily  acquiesce  in  it  ? 

Or  may  not  these  be  laid  down  as  maxims,  near  or  quite 
self-evident:  I  must  see  wherein  I  have  been  to  blame, 
and  how  much,  before  I  can  see  wherein  and  how  much 
I  need  a  pardon.  I  must  see,  I  altogether  deserve  the 
threatened  punishment ;  before  1  can  see  it  altogether  free 
grace,  to  be  delivered  from  it.  I  must  see  it,  reasonable,  fit, 
and  beautiful,  that  sin  should  be  so  punished  as  the  law 
threatens ;  before  I  can  see  the  law,  reasonable,  fit  and  beau- 
tiful, in  threatening  so  to  punish  sin.  I  must  see  the  law 
reasonable,  fit,  and  beautiful,  before  1  can  be  satisfied  at 
heart,  that  it  was  ever  best  it  should  be  executed  upon  the 
sinner,  or  upon  Christ  his  surety.  I  must  see  it,  to  be  of  in- 
finite importance,  that  God  be  honoured,  and  sin  discounte- 
nanced, before  the  severity  of  the  law  will  appear  beautiful, 
or  the  death  of  Christ  needful,  or  the  way  of  life  through  his 
blood  glorious,  or  I  heartily  approve  of  the  law,  or  cordially 
acquiesce  in  the  Gospe).  I  must  heartily  aquiesce  in  the 
Gospel-way  of  life,  or  I  cannot  sincerely,  and  from  the 
heart,  fall  in  with  it. 


THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-M ASTKK.  5Q 

Now  these,  and  each  of  these  particulars,  are  essential  to 
the  exercise  of  faith  in  Christ,  for  pardon  and  justification. 
Nor  need  any  thing  further  be  added,  in  order  to  determine 
exactly  the  nature  of  that  preparation,  which  is  necessary 
to  the  exercise  of  faith  in  Christ.  Precisely  how  much  of 
this  is  wrought  in  the  true  convert,  previous  to  regeneration, 
and  goes  into  the  idea  of  what  is  called  legal  humiliation, 
and  how  much  is  consequent  upon  regeneration  and  divine 
light,  and  belongs  to  what  is  called  evangelical  humiliation, 
I  shall  not  stand  to  determine  l.  But  this  I  desire  may  be 
remembered,  that  there  can  be  no  exercise  of  faith  in  Christ 
for  pardon  and  justification,  by  a  new  convert,  or  by  an 
old  saint,  without  these  views  and  tempers  at  least,  for  the 
substance  of  them  u.  They  are  so  essential  to  justifying  faith, 
that  it  cannot  exist  without  them.  Which  after  all  that 

t  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  add  here,  that  previous  to  regeneration,  while  the 
sinner  is  without  any  seed  of  grace  in  his  heart,  1  John  iii.  9.  dead  in  sin,  Eph.  ii. 
1.  at  enmity  with  God  and  his  law,  Rom.  viii.  7.  he  may,  through  the  law  set 
home  upon  his  coiiscience,  by  the  spirit  of  God,  be  made  to  see  and  own,  as  in 
the  sight  of  God  ;  1.  That  there  is  no  goodness  in  his  heart,  that  he  is  quite  dead 
in  sin,  an  enemy  to  God  and  his  law.  2.  That  he  is,  in  himself,  entirely  help, 
less,  absolutely  lost  and  undone.  3.  That  God  is  not  obliged  to  help  or  save  him, 
for  any  thing  he  can  do.  4.  That  he  is  in  the  hands  of  God,  who  is  at  liberty  to 
have  mercy  on  him,  or  not,  as  he  pleases.  5.  That  it  is  a  just  and  righteous 
thing  in  God  to  cast  him  off  for  ever. 

But  it  is  after  regeneration  that  other  things  come  into  view  ;  such  as,  1.  The 
transcendent  beauty  and  excellency  of  the  divine  nature. — 2.  The  beauty  of  the 
law. — 3.  The  glory  of  the  Gospel-way  of  life. — All  which  lay  a  foundation  for— • 
4.  A  supreme  love  to  God,  an  hearty  approbation  of  the  law,  a  cordial  acqui- 
escence in  the  Gospel,  an  actual  compliance  with  that  way  of  life,  &c. — Besides 
that,  now  the  justice  of  God  in  the  damnation  of  the  sinner,  and  the  reasonable- 
ness of  his  acting  as  a  sovereign,  in  the  salvation  of  those  that  are  saved,  appear 
quite  in  a  new  light.  They  appear  eveu  to  be  glorious,  2  Cor.  iii.  7.  Matt.  xi.  25. 

u  There  is  the  same  necessity  of  these  views  and  tempers,  in  order  to  the  ex- 
ercise of  faith  in  Christ,  at  any  particular  season,  through  the  course  of  a  man's 
life,  as  there  is  at  his  first  conversion.  The  same  reason  that  makes  them 
necessary  to  any  act  of  faith,  makes  them  necessary  to  every  act  of  faith.  In- 
deed, they  become  habitual  to  the  true  believer,  who  daily  lives  by  faith  on  the 
Son  of  God.  For,  it  may  be  observed,  that  those  legal  terrors,  and  all  those 
struggles  and  workings  of  the  sinner's  heart,  while  unregenerate,  which  are  com. 
monly  experienced  previous  to  a  saving  conversion,  are  left  out  of  the  above  re- 
presentation ;  as  being,  in  a  great  measure,  peculiar  to  that  season,  and  not  essen- 
tial to  :\ny  :\ct  of  faith,  but  only  naturally  arising  from  the  sinner's  then  present 
state  and  temper. 


GO  THE    LAW    OUR   SCHOOL-MASTER. 

has  been  said,  seems  too  plain  and  evident,  to  need  any  fur- 
ther proof.     Therefore, 

4.  What  has  been  said  may  serve  to  determine  these  follow- 
ing things,  concerning  the  nature  of  justifying  faith. 

1.  In  general,  it  implies  an  hearty  approbation  of  the  law, 
and  an  hearty  acquiescence  in  the  Gospel ;  as  being  suited 
to  honour  God,  and  discountenance  sin.  And  therefore,  more 
particularly, 

2.  It  implies  a  conviction,  and  some  realizing  sense  of  the 
infinite  greatness  and  glory  of  God  ;  as  also  a  supreme  love 
to  God,  and  regard  to  his  honour.     For  otherwise,  we  can 
never  approve  the  law  from  the  heart ;  nor  will  it  ever  ap- 
pear beautiful,  or  agreeable,  that  God's  honour  is  so  much 
consulted  and  set  by  both  in  the  law  and  Gospel. 

3.  It  implies  regeneration.     Or,  that  a  new  spiritual  di- 
vine nature,  taste,  and  relish,  is  communicated  ro  us  from 
God.     For  there  is  no  principle  in  unrenewed  nature,  from 
which  a  man  may  have  such  a  supreme  regard  to  God  and 
his  honour,  as  from  the  heart  to  approve  the  law,  in  requiring 
sinless  perfection  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation.    The  law  ne- 
ver appeared  glorious  to  an  unregenerate  heart.     But  every 
unregenerate  heart  is  at  enmity  against  it.  Rom.  viii.  7. 

A  true  saint,  yea,  the  most  holy  man  on  earth,  according  to  law  and  strict  jus- 
tice, deserves  damnation  as  much,  yea,  more  than  he  did  at  his  first  conversion, 
considered  merely  as  in  himself.  Not  that  he  is  at  present  so  bad  a  man  as 
once  he  was.  No,  by  no  means.  But  because  his  present  goodness  makes  no 
amends  for  any  of  his  sins  committed  before  conversion,  or  since.  So  that  if  he 
was  to  be  dealt  with  according  to  law  strictly,  without  any  relation  to  Christ,  he 
must  be  accountable  for  all  his  sins  before  conversion,  and  for  all  sin*  sinae  con. 
version.  And  the  sins  of  a  true  convert  deserve  damnation,  as  well  as  the  sins 
of  the  unconverted.  And  so,  according  to  law,  considered  merely  as  in  himself, 
he  runs  daily  deeper  into  debt,  and  so  stands  in  still  greater  need  of  Christ  and 
free  grace.  For  that  popish  notion,  that  the  goodness  of  a  saint  makes  some 
amends  in  the  sight  of  God  for  his  sins,  is  inconsistent  both  with  the  law  and 
with  the  Gospel.  For  then  a  saint  might  possibly  be  so  good,  as  to  make  full 
amends  for  all  his  sins  ;  and  so  standjh  no  need  of  Christ.  Yea,  the  church  of 
Rome  think,  upon  this  same  hypothesis,  that  some  saints  are  so  good  as  not  only 
to  make  full  amends  to  God  for  their  own  sins,  but  that,  over  and  above,  they 
have  some  to  spare  for  their  poor  neighbours,  who  have  not  enough  for  them- 
selves. And  it  is  well  if  the  hearts  of  some  proteitants  are  not  tinged  with  this 
Popish  doctrine. 


THE  LAW  OCR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  6l 

4.  It  implies  a  conviction,  and  some  realizing  sense  of  the 
infinite  evil  of  sin,  as  it  is  against  a  God  of  infinite  glory. 
For   otherwise   it  cannot   appear  as  an  agreeable,  amiable 
thing  in  God  to  punish  it  with  eternal  damnation.     And  so 
the  law  cannot  be  really  approved  of  and  liked. 

5.  It  implies  true  repentance  ;  in  that  we  are  thus  heartily 
turned  against  sin  to  God,  to  be  on  his  side,  to  approve  and 
justify  his  law,  and  stand  for  his  honour.     For  now  the  rebel 
is  become,  and  has  the  heart  of  a  loyal  subject.     And  so, 

6.  It  implies  a  principle  of  new  obedience.     Yea, 

7.  It  implies  the  seeds  of  every  moral  virtue,  and  every 
Christian  grace.     For  they  are  comprised  in  a  hearty  appro- 
bation of  the  law,  and  acquiescence  in  the  Gospel.     And  so, 

8.  It  implies,  virtually  a  preparedness  of  heart,  to  deny 
ourselves,  take  up  our  cross,  and  follow  Christ,  and  be  true  to 
him  at  all  adventures.     A  character  absolutely  essential  to 
every  true  Christian.     Luke  xiv.  25 — 33.     And  so,  beyond 
all  dispute, 

9-  Justifying  faith  is  an  HOLY  ACT.     And  yet, 

10.  It  implies,  that  we  have  no  dependence,  no,  not  the 
least,  on  any  goodness,  of  any  kind  which  is  inherent  in  us, 
to  recommend  us  to  God's  favour  and  acceptance.     For, 

11.  It  implies  that  we  see   and  feel,  that  eternal  damna- 
tion is,  at  that  moment  our  proper  due,  according  to  law 
and  reason,  according  to  strict  and  impartial  justice.     Yea, 

1<2.  it  implies  that  we  {ire  so  far  from  a  disposition  to 
think  hard  of  God,  and  complain  of  his  law  as  too  severe, 
that,  on  the  contrary,  we  are  disposed  to  think  well  of  God, 
and  to  think  the  law  to  be  just  what  tt  should  be,  quite  right, 
altogether  right,just,  and  fair.  Yea, 

13.  It  implies  that  the   law,  although  a  ministration  of 
death,  appears  to  be  glorious.     For  otherwise,  it  cannot  ap- 
pear fit  and  beautiful,  that  the  honour  of  it  should  be  secur- 
ed, by  the  blood  of  the  SON  OF  GOD.     And  yet,  unless  this 
does  appear  fit  and  beautiful,  the  Gospel-way  of  life  cannot 
be  heartily  acquiesced  in. 

14.  And  if  the  law,   although  a  ministration  of  death, 
appears  to  be  glorious,  as  it  is  suited  to  honour  God  and  dis- 
countenance sin ;  the  Gospel  will  appear  much  more  exceed- 


62  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

ingly  glorious:  as  being  wisely  calculated,  not  only  to  answer 
these  ends,  to  even  better  advantage  than  the  law;  but  also 
to  humble  and  save  the  sinner,  and  glorify  grace.  And 
therefore,  in  the  exercise  of  faith,  the  Gospel-way  of  life  by 
free  grace  through  Jesus  Christ,  will  be  admired,  loved,  es- 
teemed, rejoiced  in,  as  being  full  of  the  manifold  wisdom  of 
God  ;  while  we  behold  how  satan  is  disappointed,  God  exalted, 
the  law  honoured,  God's  authority  established,  sin  punished, 
the  sinner  humbled  and  saved,  and  grace  glorified,  all  at 
once. 

15.  Justifying  faith,  these    views  and   tempers  being  thus 
supposed  and  implied,  consists  more  especially  in  a  cordial 
compliance  with  the  Gospel-way  of  life,  by  trusting  in  and 
entirely  depending  upon  Jesus  Christ :  that  Lamb  of  God, 
typically  slain   in  daily  sacrifices  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world ;  who  in  the  fulness  of  time  bare  our  sins  in  his  own 
body  on  the  tree  :  died  the  just  Jor  the  unjust :  being  set  forth, 
as  the  bullock  of  old,  to  be  a  propitiation  for  sin,    that  God 
might  be  just :  and  who  is  now  ascended  into  heaven,  to  appear 
as  our  great  high-priest,  in  the  presence  of  God :  and  is  able 
to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  to  God  by  him.     So 
the  pious  Jew,  with  an   humble  and  broken   heart,  laid   his 
hands  on  the  head  of  the  bullock,  or  the  goat,   which  he 
had  presented  before  the  Lord,  to  die  in  his  room.     The  con- 
secrated animal  was  slain,  his  blood  sprinkled,  his  carcass 
burnt,  and  so   atonement  was  made.     Without  shedding  of 
blood  there  was  no  remission.     Even  so  now  we  are  justified 
by  FAITH  IN7  CHRIST'S  BLOOD,  i.  e.  by  an  entire  trust,  de- 
pendance,  reliance  on  the  atonement,  merits,  and  mediation 
of  Christ,  for  pardon  and  acceptance  in  the  sight  of  God, 
and  for  eternal  life.     This  FAITH   IN  CHRIST'S    BLOOD,  is 
St.  Paul's  definition  of  justifying  faith,  in  Rom.  iii.  25. — 
And, 

16.  It  implies   a  frm  belief  of  the,  truth  of  the  Gospel 
For   otherwise   a   sinner  so  wide    awake,   would    not   dare 
to  venture  his  soul  and  eternal  concerns  thus  wholly  and 
entirely    upon    it,    without    any  other    dependence.      And 
lastly, 

17.  It  implies  a  supreme   value  for  the  favour    of   God 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-M ASTEK.  .03 

above  all  the  world.     As  this  will  naturally  arise  from  a  sense 
of  his  supreme  dignity,  greatness,  and  glory. 

These  things  are  all  so  easy  to  be  understood,  and  so  evi- 
dently true,  from  what  has  been  already  said,  that  they  need 
neither  further  illustration  nor  further  proof. 

And  thus,  from  the  nature  of  the  law,  and  of  the  Gospel  ; 
from  the  very  frame  and  constitution  of  these  two  dispensa- 
tions, we  learn  the  nature  of  the  preparatory  work,  and  the 
nature  of  saving  faith.  And  nothing  can  be  more  satisfacto- 
ry than  to  see  these  two  things,  which  lay  the  foundation  for 
all  experimental  religion,  i.  e.  for  all  real  religion,  thus  grow- 
ing up,  as  it  were,  out  of  the  whole  bible,  not  resulting  from 
here  and  there  a  detached  sentence ;  but  the  natural  and 
necessary  consequence  of  both  dispensations,  jointly  viewed  : 
and  this  joint  view  set  in  a  divine  light,  by  the  great  apostle 
of  the  Gentiles,  before  our  eyes.  And  thus,  the  religion  of 
the  heart  answers  exactly  to  the  bible ;  as  face  answers  to 
face  in  a  glass.  As  it  is  written,  we  all  beholding,  as  in  a 
glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image*: 
i.  e.  beholding  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  shining  in  the  law  ; 
which,  although  a  ministration  of  death,  was  glorious  :  and  in 
the  Gospel,  which  much  exceeds  in  glory,  we  are  changed 
into  the  same  image,  are  transformed  into  an  exact  resem- 
blance, into  a  frame  of  heart  that  is  exactly  answerable. 
This  image  is  begun  at  conversion,  and  it  increases  from  glo- 
ry to  glory,  by  the  continual  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord;  who  begins,  carries  on,  and  completes  this  glorious 
renovation. 

And  from  these  things,  it  is  evident,  that  justifying  faith  is 
entirely  of  a  different  nature  from  any  thing  an  unregene- 
rate  man  experiences  ;  who  has  neither  these  views,  nor  these 
tempers,  which  are  implied  in  it,  and  properly  belong  to  its 
essence.  And  accordingly,  we  find  that  he  who  saith,  he 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned?  ;  saith  also,  except  a  man 
be  born  again,  ht  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God1. — And  par- 
ticularly, 

We  may  now,  in  the  light  of  all  these  truths,  see  as  in  the 
light  of  noon-day,  that  for  a  man  merely  to  believe  that  his 

x  2  Cor.  iii.  18.         ji  Markxvi.  16.         z  John  iii.  S. 


04  THE  LAW  OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER. 

sins  are  pardoned,  and  that  God  loves  Am,  has  in  it  nothing 
of  the  nature  of  justifying  faith ;  but  is  altogether  a  different 
thing. 

1.  Justifying  faith  is  a  grace,  it  is  an  holy  act.     But  there 
is  nothing  of  the  nature  of  holiness,  merely  in  believing  my 
sins  are  forgiven.     Yea,  many  a  graceless  sinner  believes  so. 

2.  Justifying  faith  is  a  saving  grace.     But  salvation  is  no 
where  promised  to  a  man's  firmly  believing  his  sins  are  for- 
given. 

3.  Justifying  faith  is  wrought,  and  can  be  wrought  in  the 
heart  by  none  but  the   Spirit  of  God.     But  this  belief  may 
be  the  effect  of  a  man's  own  presumption,  or  of  the  devil's  de- 
lusion. 

4.  Justifying  faith   implies  all  the  seeds  of  holiness  in  it, 
and  so  naturally  lays  a  foundation  for  a  holy  life.     But  this 
belief,  as  there  is   no  holiness  in  it,  so  it  may  naturally  lay  a 
foundation  for  a  wicked  life  ;  as  it  tends  to  embolden  a  grace- 
less heart  in  sin. 

5.  Justifying  faith  implies  regeneration,  and  cannot  exist 
without  it.     But  this  belief  may  be  without  it.     There  is  no 
necessity  of  regeneration  in  order  to  its  existence. 

6.  Justifying  faith  implies  a  thorough   conviction  of  sin. 
But  a  thorough  conviction  of  sin  would  be  a  hinderance  to  this 
faith.     If  they  saw  how  bad  they  were,  they  would  not  be  so 
apt  to  believe  their  sins  forgiven.     Yea,  thorough  conviction 
would  effectually  prevent  this  belief,  and  keep  them  from 
this  delusion,  and  show  them   their  need  of  Christ  indeed. 
Sudden  terrors,  without  any  deep  conviction,  are  preparation 
enough  for  this  belief.     Yea,  the  Moravians,  who  think  this 
belief  true  faith,  are  against  any   convictions,   or  terrors,  as 
doing  more  hurt  than  good. 

7.  Justifying  faith  supposes,  that  eternal  damnation  is  seen 
to  be  justly  due  ;  nor  canjthere  be  an  act  of  faith  without  it. 
But  deluded  sinners  may  be  strong  in  this  belief,  when  quite 
secure  in  sin,  and  at  the  greatest  remove  from  a  sense  of  their 
desert  of  damnation. 

8.  Justifying  faith  supposes,  that  the  law  is  approved  of, 
and  loved.    But  this  belief  may  be  in  an  Aiuinomian  heart, 
that  hates  the  law. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTEK.  65 

9.  Justifying  faith  supposes  the  way  of  salvation  by  free 
grace  through  Jesus   Christ,  is  rightly  understood,  as  it  re- 
sults herefrom.     But  a  right  understanding  of  the  Gospel- 
way  of  life  is  not  needful  to  this  belief;  as  it  does  not  take 
its  rise  from  the  Gospel,  but  from  a  new  revelation.     Yea,  a 
clear  insight  into  the  Gospel-way   of  life,  would  do  more 
hurt  than  good  ;  as  it  would  tend  to  convince  them  of  their 
delusion. 

10.  Justifying  faith   supposes,  that  we  believe  the  Gospel 
to  be  true.     But  that  belief  a  heretic  may  have.     Yea,  a  pro- 
fessed infidel  may  have  it :  a  Turk,  or  a  Jew,  may  as  firmly 
believe  that  his  sins  are  forgiven,  as  any   Christian.    And 
doubtless  some  of  them  do. 

11.  Justifying  faith  supposes  that  the  Gospel  is  heartily 
approved  of  and  loved. '  But  this  belief  is  consistent  with  an 
habitual  enmity  to  the  Gospel,  as  well  as  the  law. 

12.  Justifying  faith  hath  for  its  object,  Jesus  Christ.     But 
this  belief  has  for  its  object  no  being ;  but  only  a  supposed 
fact.  viz.  that  my  sins  are  forgiven. 

IS.  Justifying  faith  is  that  by  which  we  are  justified. 
But  this  belief  supposes  the  man  was  justified,  that  his  sins 
•were  actually  pardoned  before  he  believed. — Therefore, 

14.  As  justify  ing  faith  is  founded  only  on  truth;  so  this 
belief  is  founded  only  on  falsehood. — And, 

15.  As  justifying  faith  is  founded  only  on  truths  revealed 
in  the  written  word  ;  so  this  belief  is  only  on  a  supposed  fact, 
no  where  revealed  in  the  written  word.     Yea,  contrary  to  the 
written  word,  which  teaches,  that  before  faith  our  sins  are  not 
pardoned  ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abidcth  on  us  *. 

16.  Justifying  faith  is  wrought  by  the  spirit  of  God,  en- 
lightening our  minds,  spiritually  to  understand  the  truths  of 
the  Gospel  already  revealed  in  the  written   word.     But  this 
belief  is  begotten  by  an  immediate  revelation  of  a  fact  never 
revealed  before.     Yea,  of  a  fact  not  true. 

17.  Justifying  faith  attaches  the  heart  to  that  whole  sys- 
tem of  truths  revealed  in  the  Gospel.     But  this  belief  leaves 
the  heart  open  to  error,  and  inclines  it  to  Antinomianism. 

a  John  iii.  18.  36. 
VOL.  III.  9 


66  THE    LAW    OUR    SCHOOL-MASTER. 

18.  It  is  every  sinner's  duty,  that  hears  the  Gospel,  to  be- 
lieve on  Christ  with  a  justifying  faith.     But  it  is  not  every 
sinner's  duty  to  believe  his  sins  are  forgiven. 

19.  An  aversion  to  the  exercise  of  true  faith  in  Christ,  is  a 
sin  in  all  cases.     But  a  backwardness  to  believe  his  sins  are 
forgiven,  is  no  sin,  in  one  who  is  unpardoned. 

20.  Justifying  faith,  the  stronger  it  is,  so  much  the  better 
always.     But  this  belief,  the  stronger  it  is  in  a  self-deceived 
hypocrite,  so  much  the  worse. 

21-  Justifying  faith  works  by  love  to  God,  as  glorious  and 
amiable  in  himself.  But  this  belief  works  only  by  self-love. 
As  the  Israelites,  at  the  Red  sea,  were  from  self-love  filled 
with  joy,  in  a  sense  of  their  deliverance,  without  anv  true  love 
to  God  in  their  hearts  ;  so  a  man  may  be  filled  with  joy,  in 
a  firm  belief  that  his  sins  are  forgiven  ;  and  yet  be  as  desti- 
tute of  true  grace,  as  were  that  ungodly  generation  to  whom 
God  sware  in  his  wrath,  that  they  should  never  enter  into  his 

rest. 

22.  The  true  believer  naturally  makes  holiness  of  heart  and 
life  his  evidence  of  a  good  estate,  as  this  is  the  natural  fruit 
of  true  faith.     But  this  belief  naturally  leads  men  to  make, 
what  they  call  the  immediate  witness  of  the  Spirit,  their  only 
fundamental   evidence ;  as  all  their  faith,  and  all  their  reli- 
gion arises  from  it,  and  is  entirely  dependent  on  it :  and  dis- 
poses them  to  think  sanctification  a  very  dark,  unsteady,  un- 
certain evidence;  their  own  religious  frames  being  such. 

23.  The  first  and  fundamental  article  of  a  true  believer's 
creed,  and  that  on  which  all  his  religion  and  hopes  are  built, 
is,  that  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  are  the 
word  of  God  b.    But  the  first  and  fundamental  article  of  the 
other  sort,  and  that  on  which  all  their  religion  and  hopes  are 
built,  is  that  the  immediate  discovery  they  have  had  of  the 
love  of  God,  and  that  their  sins  are  pardoned,  is  from  God. 
Shake  them  here,  and  you  shake  their  very  foundation.     De- 
stroy this  belief,  and  you  destroy  all  their  religion  and  all 
their  hopes,  and  leave  them  quite  uncertain  in  every  thing. 

24.  In  justifying  faith  the  believer  is  married  to  Christ,  be- 
comes one  with  him  ;  and  so  is  interested  in  all  his  benefits, 

b  Eph.  ii.  26. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-M ASTEE.  6? 

But  in  this  belief,  they  are  persuaded  that  the  benefits  of  Cbrist 
are  theirs,  without  being  ever  married  to  him.  To  render 
this  perfectly  familiar  to  the  weakest  capacity,  let  me  add, 
that  the  Church,  in  Scripture,  is  called  the  bride,  the  Lamb's 
wife  :  and  being  thus  united  to  Christ,  is  considered  as  being 
IN  CHRIST,  and  so  interested  in  all  his  benefits.  Now  there 
arises  this  question,  What  is  the  nature  oj  that  faith,  whereby 
the  sow/  is  united  to  Christ  ?  When  a  woman  is  married  to 
a  man,  there  is,  1.  The  transaction  itself,  in  and  by  which 
they  are  married.  2.  A  consciousness  of  the  transaction  at 
that  time.  3.  A  remembrance  of  it  afterwards.  4.  Duties 
and  privileges  flowing  from  it.  So  it  is  in  true  faith.  But 
what  if  a  woman  should  take  it  in  her  head  without  ever  be- 
ing married  to  believe,  1.  Such  a  man  is  rny  husband.  2.  He 
has  paid  all  iny  debts  and  given  me  all  his  estate  ?  Objection. 
No,  but  you  arc  not  married  to  /am-  Answer.  Yes,  I  am. 
For  marriage  consists  in  believing  he  is  my  husband,  and  has 
paid  all  my  debts.  Might  it  not  in  this  case  be  affirmed, 
Relieving  I  am  married,  is  not  the  whole  essence  of  the  mar- 
riage-covenant, nor  any  part  oj  it  ?  So  it  is  equally  plain  and 
certain,  that  belitving  that  Christ  is  mine,  and  that  my  sins  are 
pnrdontd,  is  not  tlit  whole  essence  of  justifying  jaith,  nor  any 
part  of  it c.  To  proceed, 

5.  From  what  has  been  said,  the  following  case  of  con- 
science may  be  easily  and  safely  resolved,  viz.  "  A  man  is 
greatly  at  a  loss  about  the  state  of  his  soul.  He  has  been 
awakened,  and  has  been  comforted,  and  has  frequently  had 
something  like  communion  with  God.  He  makes  conscience 
of  all  his  ways.  And  yet  for  several  reasons  is  at  a  great  loss, 

c  Although  it  appears,  so  clear  a  case,  that  justifying  faith,  and  a  mere  belief 
that  my  sins  are  pardoned,  are  two  distinct,  different  things,  in  their  whole  na- 
ture and  effects ;  so  that  it  seems  strange,  how  they  should  be  taken  for  one 
and  the  same  tiling,  unless  where  men  are  biassed  by  their  own  corrupt  expe- 
riences :  yet  still  I  have  charity  for  some  divines,  who  seem  to  think,  that  justi- 
fying faith  consists  in  such  a  belief,  hoping  they  have  a  better  faith  in  their 
hearts,  than  that  which  they  describe  in  their  books.  But  their  being  good 
men,  does  not  make  this  notion  of  faith  ever  the  better  ;  but  on  the  contrary, 
the  danger  of  its  doing  mischief  in  the  world,  is  greatly  increased,  when  it  is 
espoused  and  recommended  by  men  of  great  names.  And  therefore,  there  i> 
the  greater  reason,  and  the  more  need,  so  particularly  to  point  out  its  difference 
From  trttefaitJt. 


t>8  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTEK. 

whether  what  he  has  experienced  be  a  common,  or  saving 
work  of  the  Spirit.  He  opens  his  case  to  his  Christian 
friends;  they  are  afraid  to  speak  comfortably,  lest  it  should 
settle  him  down  on  a  false  foundation,  if  all  still  be  wrong. 
But  they  dare  by  no  means  speak  discouraging  ;  because,  ac- 
cording to  his  account,  his  case  is  hopeful,  although  not  clear. 
So  they  know  not  what  to  say.  Now  what  is  the  best  advice 
that  can  be  given  to  a  man  in  such  a  case?" 

Tell  him,  that  although  he  is  at  a  loss  about  his  state, 
yet  these  three  things  he  may  be  certain  of:  they  are  true, 
and  may  be  depended  upon,  viz.  he  is  a  sinner;  the  Gos- 
pel is  true ;  and  it  is  his  duty  to  comply  with  it.     Thus  ten- 
derly address  him  : 

"Although  you  are  conscientious  in  all  your  ways,  yet 
you  know  you  have  been,  and  still  are,  a  sinner.  Your 
heart  is  not  what  it  ought  to  be.  Your  temper  towards  God, 
Christ,  and  divine  things,  is  not  as  it  should  be.  Nor  do  you 
take  that  pains  in  the  use  of  means,  in  prayer,  meditation, 
keeping  the  heart,  &c.  as  you  might.  You  are  to  blame. 
You  are  wholly  to  blame.  God  is  righteous  in  his  present 
dealings  with  you.  Yea,  you  deserve  infinitely  worse  than  all 
this,  even  to  be  sent  immediately  to  hell.  Wherefore,  see 
it,  own  it,  come  down  and  lie  in  the  dust  at  the  foot  of 
God,  and  learn  habitually  to  understand,  realize,  and  ap- 
prove of  God's  law  as  holy,  just,  and  good. 

"  And  as  it  is  true  that  you  are  a  sinner,  and  deserve 
hell  ;  so  it  is  equally  true  that  Christ  has  died  for  sinners, 
and  God  is  ready,  through  him,  to  be  reconciled  to  all  that 
believe.  And  the  truth  of  these  glad  tidings  may  be  de- 
pended upon.  And  you  cannot  reasonably  desire,  that  God 
should  be  reconciled  to  you,  in  any  other  way  than  this, 
which  is  so  perfectly  adapted  and  suited  to  honour  God,  dis- 
countenance sin,  humble  the  sinner,  and  glorify  grace. 

"  Now,  whether  you  was-ever  savingly  converted  no  not, 
yet  it  is  equally  your  duty  in  a  sense  that  hell  is  your  proper 
due,  and  that  you  are  absolutely  helpless  and  undone  in 
yourself,  and  in  a  firm  belief  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  to 
apply  to  the  great  atonement  of  Christ,  and  to  look  to  the 
free  grace  of  God  through  him,  for  mercy  to  pardon,  and 


THK  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  69 

grace  to  help,  according  to  all  your  needs  ;  and  through 
Christ  to  devote  and  give  up  yourself  to  God,  to  love  him, 
live  to  him,  and  to  be  for  ever  his.  And  in  this  way  your 
state  may  be  cleared  up,  and  your  doubts  removed." 

OBJ.  But  is  there  not  danger,  that  all  this  may  settle  him 
down  on  a  false  hope  ;  if  as  yet  he  never  was  converted? 

ANS.  1.  If  he  never  was  converted,  then  he  never  yet 
heartily  approved  of  the  law,  or  really  believed  the  Gospel, 
or  ever  heartily  complied  with  it.  Therefore,  putting  him 
upon  these  things,  will  tend  to  convince  him  that  he  never 
did  ;  for  it  will  tend  to  show  him  th^at  it  is  not  in  his  heart 
to  do  it ;  and  consequently  that  there  is  no  seed  of  grace 
there  :  but  that  he  is  quite  dead  in  sin  :  and  that  therefore 
unless  he  is  born  again,  he  shall  never  see  the  kingdom  of  God. 
I  say,  it  will  tend  to  convince  him  of  all  this  ;  and  if  after  all 
he  remains  unconvinced,  the  fault  will  be  his  own. 

2-  If  he  has  been  savingly  converted,  then  this  method  of 
dealing  with  him  will  be  like  pointing  out  the  way  to  one 
lost  in  a  wilderness.  He  likes  the  directions  ;  he  takes  them, 
he  hastens  towards  the  road,  he  finds  it,  he  remembers  it ; 
he  rejoices,  and  takes  better  heed  to  keep  the  right  path 
through  the  rest  of  his  journey.  For  the  true  convert,  al- 
though under  great  backslidings,  has  still  the  root  of  the  mat- 
ter in  him  ;  has  it  in  his  heart  to  justify  the  law,  to  be  pleas- 
ed with  the  Gospel-way  of  life,  and  to  look  to  free  grace 
through  Jesus  Christ  for  all  things.  Like  Jonah  in  the  belly 
of  hell,  when  the  weeds  wrapt  about  his  head,  and  he  was 
ready  to  say,  that  he  was  cast  out  of  God's  sight ;  and  his 
soul  fainted  within  him.  Then  he  remembered  God,  and 
looked  again  towards  his  holy  temple,  where  God  dwelt  in 
the  cloud  of  glory  over  the  mercy-seat,  under  which  the  law 
was  laid  up  in  the  ark,  in  the  most  holy  place  of  the  HOLY  OF 
HOLIES,  into  which  the  high-priest  entered  once  a  year  with 
the  blood  of  atonement.  He  looked  hither  ;  his  former  ideas 
of  God  revived  :  he  remembered  the  Lord  :  and  a  sense  of 
God,  as  there  manifested,  encouraged  him  to  pray.  He  pray- 
ed, and  God  heard  him,  and  delivered  him  out  of  all  his  dis- 
tresses. And  many  a  poor  broken  hearted  backslider  has 
done  in  like  manner,  and  found  it  good  to  draw  near  to  the 


7®  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

Lord.  And  thus  the  truth  clear  held  forth  to  the  conscience, 
as  it  tends  to  kill  the  false  hopes  of  a  self-deceived  hypocrite  ; 
so  it  tends  to  awaken  and  encourage  the  true  saint  to  such 
exercises  of  grace  as  may  be  plainly  discernible,  and  lay  a 
foundation  for  a  full  assurance.  To  conclude, 

6.  From  what  has  been  said,  "the  true  state  of  the  Christ- 
less  sinner  appears  in  a  clear  light."  For,  while  we  view  the 
sinner,  as  under  a  law  that  requires  sinless  perfection  under 
pain  of  eternal  damnation,  we  rnay  easily  see  how  the  case 
stands  with  him.  He  is  under  the  curse  ;  he  cannot  obtain  de- 
liverance, by  any  works  of  righteousness,  which  he  can  do; 
he  daily  runs  deeper  into  debt ;  he  has  no  claim  to  any  mercy, 
of  any  kind,  temporal  or  spiritual ;  till  he  sees  this  to  be  his 
case,  and  heartily  approves  the  law,  by  which  he  stands  con- 
demned, it  is  impossible  he  should  see  his  need  of  Christ,  or 
approve  of,  or  fall  in  with,  the  way  of  salvation  by  him. 

"  He  is  under  the  curse."  For  as  many  as  are  of  the  works 
of  the  law,  i.  e.  of  a  disposition  to  trust  in  their  own  doings, 
(as  all  are,  until  through  the  law,  they  are  become  dead  to  the. 
law,}  are  under  the  curse.  And  that  as  really  as  if  Christ  had 
never  died.  For  Christ  will  profit  them  nothing,  will  be  of  no 
effect  to  them,  as  it  is  written,  behold,  I  Paul,  say  unto  you, 
that  if  ye  be  circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing d. 
Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  unto  you  ;  whosoever  of  you  are 
justified  by  the  law,  ye  are  fallen  from  grace6.  Not  that 
circumcision,  simply  and  in  itself,  proved  them  to  have  no  in- 
terest in  Christ,  (for  Paul  circumcised  Timothy  f.)  But  if 
they  were  circumcised  under  a  notion  of  recommending  them- 
selves to  God  by  their  duties,  and  obtaining  the  favour  of 
God  by  their  own  righteousness,  as  was  professedly  the  case 
with  some  of  them,  then  it  was  a  sufficient  evidence  of  their 
temper,  and  of  their  state.  They  were  of  the  works  oftht  lnwt 
and  so  under  the  curse*.  Wherefore,  let  it  be  observed,  that 
according  to  St  Paul,  evety  self-righteous  sinner  is  out  of 
Christ,  and  every  sinner  out  of  Christ  is  under  the  curse. 
Being  actually  under  a  law  which  requires  sinless  perfection 
en  pain  of  eternal  damnation,  he  is  by  this  law  doomed  to 

d  Gal.  T.  2.          e  Gal.  v.  4.         /  Acts  xvi.  3.          g-  Gal.  iii.  10. 


THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  71 

eternal  destruction.  For  they  are  debtors  to  do  the  whole 
law h ;  and  therefore  the  curse  takes  hold  of  them,  if  they 
fail  in  any  one  point.  Therefore, 

"The  Christless  sinner  cannot  obtain  deliverance  by  any 
works  of  righteousness  which  he  can  do."  Because  nothing 
short  of  sinless  perfection  will  entitle  him  to  life.  And  it  is 
too  late  for  this.  He  has  sinned  already;  and  so  is  a  lost 
creature;  nor  is  there  any  hopes  in  his  case,  on  account  of 
any  thing  he  can  do  ;  he  is  quite  undone  in  himself;  and  his 
case  hourly  grows  worse.  For, 

"  He  continually  runs  deeper  into  debt."  As  his  sins  are 
constantly  multiplying,  and  his  guilt  increasing,  and  nothing 
done,  in  the  least,  to  make  amends ;  so  he  is  constantly  trea- 
suring up  wrath'1. 

"  And  he  has  no  claim  to  any  mercy  of  any  kind,  tempo- 
ral or  spiritual,"  he  can  claim  nothing  by  law  ;  unless  he 
had  fulfilled  the  law.  And  he  can  claim  nothing  by  Christ, 
unless  he  were  in  Christ.  And  so  having  no  claim  by  law  or 
Gospel,  he  has  no  right  to  any  thing.  Np  right  to  his  life. — 
That  is  forfeited,  and  all  the  good  things  of  this  world  are 
forfeited.  And  his  soul  is  forfeited.  Yea,  he  is  actually  un- 
der the  sentence  of  condemnation  k.  It  is  true,  he  is  repriev- 
ed ;  but  it  is  only  of  God's  sovereign  pleasure.  He  dies,  he 
drops  into  hell,  when  God  pleases.  He  has  no  claim  to  the 
day  of  grace,  or  means  of  grace,  or  to  any  help  from  God. 
Hell  is  his  due ;  he  can  claim  nothing  better.  Hell  is  his 
present  due,  and  he  can  claim  no  forbearance.  In  every 
respect,  he  lies  at  God's  sovereign  mercy. 

"  When  he  sees  this  to  be  his  case,  and  heartily  approves 
the  law  by  which  he  stands  condemned  ;"  then,  and  not  till 
then,  is  there  any  door  of  hope,  or  any  way  of  escape.  But 
he  is  shut  up  under  sin1:  and  bound  clown  under  wrath1". 
For  until  this,  it  is  impossible  he  should  understand,  or  be- 
lieve, or  approve  of,  or  acquiesce  in,  the  Gospel-way  of  life. 
Or  trust  in  Christ,  as  therein  set  forth. 

Unless  he  thus  heartily  approves  of  the  law,  he  cannot  un- 

h  Gal.  v.  3.  t  Rom.  ii.  5.  fc  John  iii.  18. 

/  Gal.  iii.  22.  m  John  iri.  36. 


72  THE  LAW  OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER. 

clerstand  the  Gospel-way  of  life.  For  while  it  does  not  ap* 
pear  best,  that  sin  should  be  so  punished,  he  cannot  under- 
stand why  Christ  died.  He  cannot  understand  what  good 
end  needed  to  be  answered,  or  was  answered,  by  his  death. — 
He  cannot  understand  his  need  of  him,  or  what  it  is  to  believe 
on  him.  It  is  all  hid  from  himn.  It  is  all  profound  darkness. 
And  all  the  seeds  of  infidelity  are  in  his  heart. 

He  cannot  really  believe  the  Gospel  to  be  from  God.  For 
while  he  does  not  see  what  ends  need  to  be  answered,  it  must 
appear  incredible  that  the  Son  of  God  should  become  incar- 
nate and  die. 

He  cannot  approve  of  the  Gospel.  For  this  would  imply 
an  hearty  approbation  of  the  law.  If  it  does  not  appear  rea- 
sonable, fit,  and  beautiful,  that  he  should  be  punished  as  the 
law  threatens  ;  it  cannot  appear  reasonable,  fit,  and  beautiful, 
that  the  Son  of  God  should  bear  the  curse  in  his  stead.  If 
the  law  is  too  severe^  it  ought  to  be  repealed. 

Therefore,  he  cannot  acquiesce,  heartily  acquiesce,  in  such 
a  way  of  life.  It  does  not  suit  his  heart.  He  is  not  pleased 
with  it. 

And  so  he  can  have  no  genuine  disposition  to  look  to,  and 
trust  in  Christ  as  set  forth  in  the  Gospel,  the  whole  plan  be- 
ing virtually  disliked,  while  it  does  not  appear  best,  and  a 
thing  desirable,  that  sin  should  be  punished  with  so  great 
severity.  Therefore  he  must  remain  in  profound  darkness, 
shut  up  under  sin,  bound  down  under  wrath,  and  in  fearful 
expectations  of  everlasting  destruction,  until  his  uncircumcis- 
ed  heart  is  humbled  ° . 

But  no  sooner  is  the  sinner  brought  heartily  to  approve 
the  law,  under  a  sense  of  the  infinite  greatness  and  glory  of 
God,  so  as  sincerely  to  say,  AMEN,  to  it ;  but  every  thing  ap- 
pears in  a  different  light.  The  controversy  is  now  at  an  end. 
The  enmity  is  slain.  The  sinner,  the  rebel,  is  turned  to  be 
on  God's  side,  is  become  a  friend  ;  and  even  rejoices  to  see 
God's  honour  so  effectually  secured.  And  the  Gospel  is  un- 
derstood, believed,  approved  of,  acquiesced  in  ;  yea,  with  all 
his  heart  he  complies  with  this  way  of  life.  Trusting  in 

n  Matt.  vi.  35,  V  Lev.  XXTI.  41 , 


THE  LAW   OUR  SCHOOL-MASTER.  73 

Christ,  as  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  for  sin,  that  God  might 
be  just,  and  yet  justify  and  save  sinners  through  him  P.  In 
consequence  of  which,  he  is  justified,  hath  peace  with  God, 
and  rejoiceth  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God*.  And  being  now 
dead  to  sin,  he  can  live  no  longer  therein  T.  For  through  the 
law  he  is  dead  to  the  law,  that  he  might  live  to  God  '.  And 
he  is  married  to  Christ,  that  he  might  bring  forth  fruit  to 
God*.  And  being  now  a  child  of  God,  the  spirit  of  adoption 
is  sent  forth  into  his  heart,  crying,  Abba,  Father*.  And  so 
he  follows  God  as  a  dear  child*.  And  from  this  day,  and 
forward  is  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith,  unto  saha- 
tiony.  Growing  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ z.  And  all  from  the  good  pleasure  of 
God's  will,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace  a.  Amen. 

p  Rom.  iii.  25,  26.         q  Rom.  v.  1, 2.         r  Rom.  vi.  2.         «  Gal.  ii.  19- 
t  Rom.vii.  4-  «  Gal.  iv.  6.  x  Eph.  v.  1.  y  1  Pet.  i.  5. 

z  2  Pet  iii.  18.  a  Eph.  i.  5,  6. 


VOL.    III.  10 


OF 

THE    REPINED    ANTINOMIANISM 

OF  THE  PRESENT  AGE. 

WHEREIN 

THAT  MAXIM,  WHICH  IS  SO  ABSOLUTELY  ESSENTIAL  TO  THEIR  SCHEME,  THAT 
IT  CANNOT  SUBSIST  WITHOUT  IT,  LAID  DOWN  BY  MR.  MARSHALL ; 

VII. 

THAT  IN  JUSTIFYING  FAITH,  «  WE  BELIEVE  THAT  TO  BE  TRUE  WHICH  IS 
NOT  TRUE  BEFORE  WE  BELIEVE  IT," 

THOROUGHLY  EXAMINED  ; 

MR.  WILSON'S  ARGUMENTS  IN  ITS  DEFENCE, 

CONSIDERED  AND  ANSWERED ; 

AND 

THE  WHOLE  ANTINOMIAN  CONTROVERSY, 

AS    IT    NOW    STANDS, 

BROUGHT  TO  A  SHORT  ISSUE, 
AND  RENDERED  PLAIN  TO  THE  MEANEST  CAPACITY. 


"  Go  through,  go  through  the  gates ;  prepare  you  the  way  of  the  people  ; 
cast  up,  cast  up  the  high-way  ;  gather  out  the  stones ;  lift  up  a  standard  for 
the  people ." ISAI.  lai.  10. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

IN  a  piece,  entitled, "  Letters  and  Dialogues,  upon  the  nature 
of  love  to  God,  faith  in  Christ,  assurance  of  a  title  to  Eternal 
Life,"  printed  at  Boston,  New-England,  175Q,  re-printed, 
London,  1761,  Mr.  Marshal's  account  of  justifying  faith, 
was  taken  notice  of,  viz.  That  in  justifying  faith,  "  we  be- 
lieve that  to  be  true,  which  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it ;" 
and  twelve  queries  were  stated  on  the  point.  To  vindicate 
that  whole  system  of  religion,  which  is  founded  in,  and  re- 
sults from,  this  kind  of  faith,  two  volumes  were  printed  in  Lon- 
don, 1762,  containing  about  300  pages  each  ;  entitled, 
Pahvmon's  Creed  revived  and  examined.  By  David  Wilson. 
This  author,  among  other  things,  has  undertaken  to  prove, 
that  in  justifying  faith,  "  we  believe  that  to  be  true,  which  is 
not  true  before  we  believe  it."  The  following  pages  are  de- 
signed as  an  answer  to  this  gentleman,  on  that  point.  And 
if  that  point,  which  is  essential  to  their  scheme,  and  the  root 
of  all  the  mischief,  can  be  proved  to  be  wrong;  their  whole 
scheme  is  overthrown.  This  little  pamphlet  then  means  to 
bring  to  a  short  issue,  a  controversy  which  has  been  the 
source  of  infinite  mischief  to  the  souls  of  mankind. 

J.  BELLAMY. 

Bethlem,  Jan.  14,  1763. 


: 

' 


, 


A  BLOW 

AT  ' 

THE  ROOT  OF  THE  REFINED  ANTINOMIANISM 

OF  THE  PRESENT  AGE. 

THE  principal  design  of  writing  on  controverted  points,  is 
to  assist  the  reader,  by  holding  forth  clear  light,  to  come  to  a 
well  grounded  judgment,  touching  the  point  in  dispute. 
And  to  this  end  we  should  distinguish  between  things  that 
differ,  state  the  point  in  dispute,  with  great  exactness;  and 
then  present  to  the  reader  the  arguments  on  the  one  side 
and  the  other,  of  the  question  in  debate,  and  leave  him  to 
judge  for  himself.  Accordingly,  in  these  pages  I  shall,  1 . 
Make  some  needful  distinctions;  the  neglect  of  which  has 
occasioned  no  small  confusion  in  this  controversy,  about  the 
nature  of  justifying  faith.  2.  State  the  question  now  to  be 
disputed,  with  great  exactness.  3.  Offer  arguments  against, 
and  4.  Consider  the  arguments  in  favour  of  the  position, 
which  contains  the  question  in  dispute ;  and  then  leave 
every  reader  to  judge  for  himself.  The  distinctions  to  be 
made,  are  these, 

i.  There  is  an  essential  difference  between  justification  in 
the  sight  of  God,  and  a  persuasion  in  our  own  minds  that 
we  are  justified.  One  is  the  act  of  God  our  judge  ;  the  other 
is  the  act  of  our  own  minds ;  as  is  self-evident.  God's  act 
must  of  necessity  be,  in  order  of  nature,  at  least  before  our 
act.  We  must  be  justified  before  we  can  know  that  we  are 
justified.  For  a  thing  must  exist  before  its  existence  can  be 
perceived.  To  say  otherwise,  is  an  express  contradiction. 

fi.  We  are  justified  by  faith  alone,  and  that  whether  we 
know  our  faith  to  be  of  the  right  kind,  or  not.  But  we  are 
assured  of  our  justification,  by  a  consciousness  of  our  faith 
and  other  Christian  graces,  and  by  knowing  they  are  of  the 
right  kind.  We  are  justified  without  respect  to  any  thing 
in  us,  or  about  us,  considered  as  a  recommending  qualifica- 
tion ;  simply  by  free  grace  through  the  redemption  that  is  in 


80  A  BLOW  AT  THE  ROOT    OF 

Jesus  Christ.  Our  union  with  Christ  is  the  foundation  of 
our  interest  in  him,  his  atonement  and  merits ;  and  so  of  our 
title  to  pardon,  justification,  and  eterna]  life,  according  to  the 
Gospel.  Faith  alone,  is  that  on  our  part  whereby  we  are 
united  to  Christ  and  become  one  with  him,  and  so  that  alone 
by  which  we  are  justified.  A  consciousness  in  our  own 
minds,  that  we  have  true  faith,  and  those  other  Christian 
graces  which  are  connected  with  it,  and  always  accom- 
pany it,  is  that  alone  by  which  we  can  know  that  we  are 
justified.  So  that  while  we  are  justified  simply  on  the  ac- 
count of  Christ's  righteousness,  we  can  know  that  we  are  in 
fact  justified  merely  by  a  consciousness  of  our  own  inherent 
graces;  even  as  a  poor  woman  is  made  rich  simply  on  her 
husband's  estate,  with  whom  she  becomes  one  in  the  eye  of 
the  law  by  marriage :  but  she  knows  her  title  to  her  husband's 
estate,  only  as  she  knows  that  she  was  married  to  him,  and 
actually  continues  to  be  his  wife. 

3.  There  is  an  essential  difference  between  a  full  assur- 
ance, that  those  who  receive  Christ,  and  come  to  God  in 
his  name,  shall  be  pardoned,  justified,  and  have  eternal  life  : 
and  a  consciousness  that  I  do  icceive  Christ,   and  come  to 
God  in  his  name,  and  am   consequently  pardoned,  justified, 
and  entitled  to  eternal  life.     That  those  who  receive  Christ 
and  come  to  God  in  his  name,  shall  be  pardoned,  justified, 
and  have  eternal  life,  is  plainly  and  expressly  revealed  in  the 
Gospel,  and  was  true  before  I  was  born.     And  it  appears  to 
be  true  to  every  one,  who  understands  the  Gospel  aright, 
and    believes   it   with    all   his  heart.     But  I  must  actually 
understand  the  Gospel,  believe  it  with  all  my   heart,  and 
in  the  belief  of  it  actually  receive  Christ,  and  come  to  God 
in   his   name,  before  1  am  justified  ;   and  so  before  I  can 
be  conscious  to  myself  that  I  have  so  acted,  and  that  con- 
sequently I  am  pardoned,  justified,  and  entitled  to  eternal 
life. 

4.  Although  justification  in  the  sight  of  God,  must  of  ne- 
cessity be  in  order  of  nature  before  our  knowledge  that  we 
are  justified;  because  a  thing  must  exist  before  its  existence 
can  be  perceived  by  the  mind :  yet  it  is  not  impossible  that  a 
justified  believer  may  know  his  justification  soon,  from  an  in- 


KEF1NED  ANT1NOMIAN1SM.  81 

ward  consciousness  of  his  receiving  Christ,  and  coming  to 
Cod  in  his  name,  and  from  a  consciousness  of  all  the  Chris- 
tian graces,  which  are  connected  with  and  do  always  accom- 
pany true  faith.  At  conversion,  a  sinner  is  brought  out  of 
darkness  into  marvellous  light,  and  beholding  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  is  changed  into  the  same  image;  and  may  of  course 
in  the  time  of  it,  in  all  ordinary  cases,  he  conscious  of  the 
change.  And  the  greater  the  change  is,  the  more  conscious 
v  ill  he  he  of  it.  No  man  can  prove  but  that  divine  light 
may  possihly  he  imparted  in  so  great  a  degree,  and  the  change 
be  so  clear,  that  at  once  it  may  be  known  to  be  a  saving 
change,  i  do  not  say,  that  it  is  always,  or  that  it  is  ordina- 
rily so,  at  present  ;  but  I  am  willing  to  grant  that  it  may  be 
&o.  From  many  expressions  in  the  New  Testament,  I  am  in- 
clined to  think  it  was  commonly  so  in  the  apostolic  age.  The 
three  thousand  on  the  day  of  penlecost,  not  only  received  the. 
word  gladly,  but  immediately  began  to  spend  their  time  in 
praising  God,  Acts  ii.  41.  47-  and  converts  in  that  age  in  ge- 
neral being  justified  by  faith,  had  peace  with  God,  and  rejoic 
ed  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  Rom.  v.  1,2.  Whom  having 
tiot  seen,  ye  love  ;  in  whom,  though  now  ye,  see  him  not,  yet  be- 
lieving, ye,  (one  and  all,)  rejoice  zcithjoy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory,  1  Pet.  i.  8.  Nor  do  we  read  of  one  saint  in  the  New 
Testament,  who  doubted  of  his  being  in  a  justified  state  :  nor 
have  we  any  reason  from  the  writings  of  the  New  Testament, 
to  think  but  that  assurance  of  their  good  estate  was  universal- 
ly enjoyed  by  all  true  believers  in  the  apostolic  age. 

This  consideration  inclines  me  to  entertain  charitable 
thoughts  of  the  first  reformers,  that  their  hearts  might  be 
light,  although  it  could  be  proved  that  they  made  assurance 
of  the  essence  of  faith  ;  as  it  is  affirmed  by  some,  that  they 
did.  For  they  were  in  the  heat  of  dispute  with  the  Papists 
\vho  denied  that  assurance  was  at  all  attainable  in  this  life. 
Good  men  among  the  first  reformers  might  be  conscious  to 
themselves,  that  they  had  had  assurance  from  the  very  time  of 
their  conversion  ;  and  might  observe  from  the  apostolic  writ- 
ings, that  it  used  to  be  so  with  the  apostolic  converts,  and 
might  observe  it  to  be  so  with  their  converts  ;  and  so, 
through  want  of  proper  attention  to  the  nature  of 

'"OL.  111.  1  I 


82  A   BLOW   AT  THE  ROOT  OF 

might  be  led  to  affirm,  that  assurance  itself  is  of  the  essence 
of  justifying  faith.  And  by  that  one  false  maxim,  be  insen- 
sibly led  into  many  other  mistakes.  But  the  assembly  of  di- 
vines at  Westminster,  who  sat  about  an  hundred  years  after 
the  reformation,  time  having  been  had  meanwhile  to  look 
more  carefully  into'things,  and  to  distinguish  between  things 
that  differ,  left  assurance  out  of  their  definition  of  justifying 
faith,  in  their  confession  of  faith;  larger  and  shorter  cate- 
chisms. Nay,  they  even  expressly  affirm,  in  their  larger  ca- 
techism, in  answer  to  question  81,  "  That  assurance  of  grace 
and  salvation  are  not  of  the  essense  of  faith.'5  For  while  it 
was  affirmed  that  assurance  was  of  the  essence  of  faiih  by  the 
protestant  preachers,  two  things  would  constantly  happen,  it 
may  reasonably  be  supposed,  which  would  tend  to  convince 
them  that  they  were  wrong,  viz.  1.  Many  of  their  seeming 
converts  who  appeared  to  be  full  of  the  strongest  assurance  of 
the  pardon  of  their  sins,  would  apostatize  and  fall  away  to 
open  wickedness,  before  their  eyes  :  as  it  has  been  with  many 
in  our  day. 

2.  And  their  adversaries,  the  papists,  who  hated  all  assur- 
ance of  salvation  in  general,  as  some  do  in  our  day,  would 
take  the  advantage  of  their  mistake,  and  make  such  objections 
against  them,  as  they  could  not  answer.  Which,  when  the 
heat  of  the  controversy  was  a  little  over,  and  the  protestant 
party  had  had  time  impartially  to  weigh  things,  (loath  as  men 
naturally  are  to  give  up  a  point  they  have  once  espoused,) 
they  would  feel  themselves  obliged  to  do  it  in  this  case.  Ac- 
cordingly it  came  to  pass,  within  about  an  hundred  years, 
that  protestant  divines  in  general  gave  up  that  notion,  and 
defined  faith  in  a  very  different  manner;  as  we  may  see  in 
the  Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms  of  the  assembly  of  di- 
vines at  Westminster,  and  yet  retained  the  doctrine  of  assur- 
ance, and  asserted  it  in  the  strongest  language,  but  not  as  be- 
ing of  the  essence  of  faith,  but  as  resulting  "  from  the  inward 
evidence  of  those  graces,  unto  which  the  promises  are  made." 
And  in  New-England,  (which  was  settled  about  that  time,) 
that  notion  has  been,  from  the  very  first  settlement  of  it  to 
this  day,  universally  exploded,  by  all  our  divines  of  note. 
Nay,  1  never  heard  of  but  one  single  minister  in  New-Eng- 


REFINED  ANTINOMIANISM.  83 

land,  who  appeared  in  print  to  defend  the  notion,  that  as- 
surance is  of  the  essence  of  faith  ;  and  he  is  a  minister  over 
a  separate  congregation  :  and  testimony  has  been  publicly 
borne  against  him  in  years  past,  by  some  of  the  most  noted 
ministers  in  the  country.  In  Scotland,  when  this  notion  was 
above  forty  years  ago  advanced  and  propagated  among  them 
by  some  who  have  since  separated  themselves  from  that 
church,  it  was  condemned  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
church  of  Scotland,  as  being  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  to 
their  confession  of  faith  and  catechisms  ;  and  all  their  minis- 
ters were  strictly  prohibited  under  the  pain  of  the  censures  of 
that  church,  by  writing,  printing,  preaching,  catechising,  or 
in  any  other  way,  to  teach  this,  and  the  other  doctrines  in 
connexion  with  ita.  These  things  are  not  said  to  determine 
what  is  truth,  by  the  names  and  influence  of  fallible  men. 
To  do  so,  would  be  to  justify  the  whole  popish  party  in  their 
appeal  to  the  pope,  to  decide  all  points  of  religion;  and  to 
give  up  the  first  maxim  on  which  the  reformation  was  built; 
viz.  that  the  rcurd  of  God  is  the  only  rule  oj  faith  and  man- 
ners. It  is  not  what  the  first  reformers  said,  nor  what  the 
assembly  of  divines  said,  nor  what  any  other  men  or  body 
of  men,  since  the  apostles  were  dead,  have  said,  or  do  say, 
that  can  determine  any  doctrine  of  religion,  or  settle  any 
point  of  controversy  about  religion.  If  they  cannot  be  set- 
tled by  the  holy  Scriptures,  they  must  remain  for  ever  unde- 
termined in  this  world.  To  be  unwilling  to  appeal  to  the 
bible,  and  to  that  alone,  to  determine  what  is  truth  ;  is  a  full 
proof  a  man  is  at  heart  an  infidel.  He  does  not  really  be- 
lieve that  the  bible  is  the  word  of  God,  nor  does  he  build  his 
scheme  of  religion  upon  it ;  but  upon  his  own  experiences, 

a  See  the  acts  of  the  {general  assembly  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  1720,  Act 
v.  and  1722,  Act  vii.  particularly  these  words,  out  of  a  book  entitled,  the  Marrow 
of  Modern  Divinity,  were  expressly  condemned,  viz.  "  wherefore  as  Paul  and 
Silas  said  to  the  jailor,  so  say  I  unto  you,  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  anJ 
thou  shalt  be  saved  ;  that  is,  be  verily  persuaded  in  your  heart,  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
yours,  and  that  you  shall  have  life  and  salvation  by  him,  that  whatsoever  Christ 
did  for  the  salvation  of  mankind,  he  did  it  for  you  ;  forasmuch  as  the  holy  scrip, 
ture  speaketh  to  all  in  general,  none  of  us  ought  to  distrust  himself,  but  believe 
that  it  doth  belong  particularly  to  himself."  These  words  were  expressly  con- 
demned, as  making  saving  faith  consist  in,  "  a  man's  persuasion  that  Christ  i 
his,  died  for  liim,"  &c 


84  A  BLOW   AT  THE  ROOT  O  T 

or  the  sayings  of  others,  whose  experiences  he  imagines  were 
like  his  own.  However,  what  has  been  said,  may  let  the  pub- 
lic  see  how  I  can  consistently  entertain  an  opinion,  that  some 
men's  hearts  may  be  more  orthodox  than  their  heads  in  this 
matter;  which  was  the  point  I  was  upon  b. 

But  while  true  converts  may,  from  their  first  conversion, 
from  a  consciousness  of  the  saving  change  they  have  passed 
through,  be  persuaded,  that  they  are  in  a  state  of  favour 
with  God,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God  ;  satan, 
that  great  enemy  to  all  good,  may  transform  himself  into  an 
angel  of  light,  and  delude  hundreds  and  thousands,  and  ten 
thousands,  (and  it  is  foretold  that  satan  is  to  deceive  the  na- 
tions, till  the  thousand  years  of  Christ's  reign  do  commence, 
Rev.  xx.  3.)  with  a  firm  belief  that  their  sins  are  forgiven,  who 
never  were  converted  ;  and  so  oblige  them  to  believe  their 
Hns  are  forgiven,  when,  according  to  the  plainest  declara- 
tions of  Scripture,  they  are  not  forgiven  ;  and  so  necessitate 
them,  in  order  to  vindicate  themselves,  to  assert  that  in  justi- 
fying faith,  "  we  believe  that  to  be  true  which  is  not 
true  before  we  believe  it,  and  that  without  any  evidence 
from  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason.'' 

And  these  false  converts,  emboldened  by  the  greatness  of 
their  number,  may  rise,  sketch  out  a  whole  new  scheme  of 
religion,  subversive  of  Christianity,  and  seek  to  propagate  it 
through  the  Christian  world,  showing  the  greatest  rancour 
against  the  true  Gospel  of  Christ.  Meanwhile,  true  Christians 
may  get  bewildered,  and  some  perhaps  brought  unawares  to  es- 
pouse the  language  of  the  deluded,  and  to  seem  to  plead  their 
cause.  And  the  common  enemies  to  all  experimental  religion 
may  rejoice,  in  hopes  it  will  finally  appear  to  all  the  world 
that  there  is  nothing  in  vital  piety,  that  all  religion  consists  in 
an  external  regular  behaviour  ;  and  that  it  is  no  matter  what 

b  It  is  very  observable,  that  Mr.  \CiIson,  who  is  constantly  repeating  it,  tha,t 
all  the  protestant  world  are  on  his  side,  and  glorying  in  it,  is  obliged,  in  the  midst 
of  it  all  to  own,  that  while  some  hold  that  assurance  is  of  the  essence  of  faith, 
others  only  maintain,  that  assurance  accompanies  it :  (p.  97.)  two  things  in 
their  nature  essentially  different,  nay,  contrary  to  each  other.  For  to  say,  that 
assurunce  accompanies  faith,  is  to  say,  "  it  is  not  faith,  but  something  else  which 
*jrue  believers  are  wont  to  have  in  company  with  faith." 


REFINED  ANT1NOMIANISM.  85 

men's  principles  be,  if  their  lives  are  but  good  :  which  is  no- 
thing better  that)  downright  infidelity. 

The  way  may  now  be  prepared  to  state  the  question  in  dis- 
pute. 

In  the  beginning  of  ray  third  dialogue,  which  was  on  the 
nature  of  assurance  of  a  title  to  eternal  life,  I  had  said,  that 
"  Sanctification,  taking  the  word  in  a  large  and  comprehen- 
sive sense,  is  the  evidence,  the  only  Scripture-evidence,  of  a 
good  estate."  And  to  prevent  misunderstanding,  I  added, 
"  It  is  usual  for  divines  to  distinguish  between  regenera- 
tion and  conversion,  between  first  conversion  and  progres- 
sive sanctification  ;  between  divine  views  and  holy  affec- 
tions, between  grace  in  the  heart  and  an  holy  life  and  con- 
versation ;  but  I  mean  to  comprehend  all  under  one  general 
name.  You  may  call  it  the  image  of  God,  or  holiness  of 
heart  and  life,  or  a  real  conformity  to  the  divine  law,  and  a 
genuine  compliance  with  the  Gospel  of  Christ  :  I  have  al- 
ready let  you  see  what  I  apprehend  to  be  the  nature  of  law 
and  Gospel,  of  love  to  God  and  faith  in  Christ.  When  I 
say,  this  is  the  only  evidence,  I  mean  that  this  is  the  only 
thing  wherein  saints  and  sinners,  in  every  instance,  differ. 
One  has  the  image  of  God,  the  other  has  not.  Or  to  express 
myself  in  the  language  of  inspiration,  John  xvii.  3.  This  is 
lift  eternal,  to  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jestts 
Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent.  And  1  John  ii  3,  4,  5.  Here- 
by we  do  know  that  we  do  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  com- 
mandments. He  that  saith  I  know  him,  and  keepeih  not 
his  commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him.  But 
rchoso  keepeth  his  word,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  of  God  per- 
fected :  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  in  him." 

In  answer  to  which  words,  Mr.  Cud  worth  says,  this  "  is  no 
other  than  the  assurance  of  the  Pharisee."  Further  defence, 
p.  265.  But  why  ?  because  says  he,  "  it  is  only  founded  on 
the  difference  there  is  between  him  and  other  men." — To 
which  I  reply  ;  this  may  as  well  be  objected  against  the  as- 
surance of  all  the  apostolical  saints  ;  as  is  evident  from  1  John 
ii.  3,  4,  5.  the  very  text  I  quoted.  For  they  knew  they  loved 
God,  and  kept  his  commands,  while  the  rest  of  the  world  lay 
in  wickedness.  And  therefore  they  said,  1  John  v.  19.  We 


86  A  BLOW  AT  THE  ROOT   OF 

know  that  wt  art  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wicked- 
ness. And  will  Mr.  Cudworth  affirm  that  their  assurance 
was  that  of  the  Pharisees?  Besides,  there  is  a  fallacy  in  his 
words  :  for  the  apostolical  assurance  did  not  arise  merely  from 
a  consciousness,  that  they  differed  from  others,  which  might 
be  true,  and  yet  the}''  have  no  grace,  as  was  the  case  with  the 
Pharisee;  but  from  a  consciousness  that  their  characters 
were  agreeable  to  the  Gospel  standard  ;  that  they  had  those 
graces  which  according  to  Christ's  holy  religion  are  peculiar 
to  the  saints,  and  certainly  connected  with  eternal  life.  Up- 
on this  their  assurance  was  built,  just  as  I  had  represented. 
However,  if  Mr.  Cudworth's  words  prove  nothing  else,  yet  at 
least  they  seem  to  be  a  sufficient  evidence  of  his  hearty  disaf- 
fection to  the  only  scriptural  assurance  of  a  good  estate.  And 
he  appears  to  think  with  his  late  friend,  that  we  may  as  well 
"  place  the  dome  of  a  cathedral  on  the  stalk  of  a  tulip,"  as 
place  our  assurance  on  this  only  scriptural  foundation.  But 
how  then  would  he  have  us  get  assurance  ?  even  by  believ- 
ing that  our  sins  are  forgiven,  while  conscious  that  we  are  up- 
on a  level  with  the  worst  of  sinners;  no  difference  between  us 
and  them  as  dead  in  sin,  as  impenitent  and  unconverted,  and 
as  full  of  enmity  to  God.  And  this  belief  is  to  beget  our 
first  love.  But,  alas  !  what  grounds  have  we  for  this  belief? 
What  evidence  for  the  truth  of  what  we  believe  ?  why  none  at  all, 
says  Mr.  Marshal,  "  from  Scripture,  sense, or  reason."  For 
the  fact  believed  to  be  true,  "  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it." 
And  as  Mr.  Cudworth  affirms  assurance  from  a  conscious- 
ness of  sanctification,  to  be  the  assurance  of  th"e  Pharisee  ;  so 
his  brother,  Mr.  Wilson,  with  the  s;ime  spirit,  affirms  it  to  be 
the  assurance  of  Papists,  perhaps  an  hundred  times  overc; 
although  he  well  knew,  that  the  Papists  join  with  Antinomi- 
ans,  in  denying  that  a  certain  assurance  from  a  consciousness 
of  our  own  sanctification,  is  attainable,  in  the  present  Jifed; 

r  See  Mr.  Wilson's  Review  of  Palsemon's  creed.  Vol.  2.  p.  101 ,  and  elsewhere 
through  both  his  volumes.  N.  B.  The  particular  references  to  Mr.  Wilson, 
which  will  he  made  in  these  sheets,  will  be  to  his  2d  Vol.  in  which  he  has  made 
some  remarks  on  my  dialogues.  I  here  give  notice  of  it  once  for  all. 

d  Page  104,  Mr.  Wilson  says,  speaking  of  the  Papists,  "  as  it  is  supposed,  that 
men  will  frequently  have  too  much  reason  to  suspect  the  sincerity  of  their  own 
love  and  obedience  ;  whether  the  former  be  genuine,  and  the  latter  such  as  God 


REFINED  ANTJNOM1AN1SM.  87 

how  then  would  Mr,  Wilson  have  us  get  assurance  f  even  by 
believing  our  sins  are  forgiven,  without  any  consciousness  of 
any  grace  in  us,  "  without  any  reflection  upon  the  act  of  ap- 
propriation made  by  the  believer,  or  a  persuasion  of  the  truth 
of  his  own  faith."  p.  123.  "  Without  knowing  any  thing 
further  about  their  state,  than  that  they  are  by  nature  children 
of  wrath,  and  heirs  of  hell,  under  the  curse  of  an  angry  sin- 
revenging  God."  p.  175.  These  are  his  own  words. 

But  how  shall  we  know  that  our  sins  are  forgiven  ?  Are  our 
sins  forgiven  while  we  are  in  an  impenitent,  unconverted, 
Christless  state  ?  are  they  forgiven  even  while  we  are  "  heirs 
of  hell,  and  under  the  curse  of  an  angry  God  ?"  that  is,  for- 
given when  they  are  not  forgiven  !  an  express  contradiction  ! 
or  are  we  to  believe  they  are  forgiven,  when  in  fact  they  are 
not  forgiven  ?  Yes,  this  is  the  very  thing  Antinomians  for- 
ineil}  held,  that  the  elect  are  justified  from  eternity,  or  from 
the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  that  in  due  time  their  justiti- 

>tiil  accept  of;  they  granted,  that  any  hope  of  salvation  men  can  attain  to  in  this 
mortal  state,  must,  and  ought,  still  to  be  mixed  Tirith  fear  and  doubting.  They 
never  can  attain  to  any  absolute  certainty  about  it.  Such  were  the  leading  sen- 
timents of  the  most  eminent  teachers  in  the  Romish  Church." 

And  how  exactly  agreeable  these  sentiments  are  to  the  sentiments  of  the 
most  eminent  teachers  of  Mr.  Wilson's  party,  the  following  -words  of  the 
celebrated  Mr.  II — y,  will  show  :  '  This  method  of  seeking  peace  and  as- 
surance, I  fear,  will  perplex  the  simple-minded ;  and  cherish  rather  than 
suppress  the  fluctuations  of  doubt.  For,  let  the  signs  be  what  you  please,  a 
love  of  the  brethren,  or  a  love  of  all  righteousness,  a  change  of  heart,  or  an  altera- 
tion of  life  ;  these  good  qualifications  are  sometimes  like  the  stars  at  noon-day, 
not  easily,  if  at  all,  discernible  :  or  else  they  are  like  a  glow-worm  in  the  night, 
glimmering,  rather  than  shining  :  consequently  will  yield,  at  the  best,  but  a  feeble, 
at  the  worst,  a  very  precarious  evidence  :  If,  in  such  a  manner,  we  should  acquire 
some  little  assurance,  how  soon  may  it  be  unsettled  by  the  incursions  of  daily 
temptsit  ions,  or  destroyed  by  the  insurrection  of  remaining  sin  !  at  such  a  juncture, 
how  will  it  keep  its  standing  !  .how  retain  its  being  !  it  will  fare  like  a  tottering 
•wall  before  a  tempest,  or  be  as  the  rush  without  mire,  and  the  flag  without  water. 
But  while  Papists  and  Antinomians  thus  join  to  deny  any  certain  assurance  by 
onr  own  inherent  graces,  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at  Westminster,  agreeable 
with  the  holy  Scriptures,  strongly  assert  it.  Conf.  of  Faith,  chap,  xviii.  "  Such  as 
truly  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  love  him  in  sincerity,  &c.  may  in  this  life  be 
certainly  assured,  that  they  are  in  a  state  of  grace." — "  This  certainty  is  not  a 
bare  conjectural  and  probable  persuasion,  but  an  infallible  assurance  of  faith, 
founded  upon  the  divine  truth  of  the  promises  of  salvation,  the  inward  evidence 
of  those  graces  unto  which  these  promises  are  made,"  ike. 


88  A  BLOW   AT  THE  HOOT  OF 

cation  is  manifested  to  them  by  the  spirit,  on  which  they 
commence  believers.  And  this  scheme,  how  contrary  soever 
to  the  BIBLE,  was  consistent  with  itself.  But  that  scheme 
is  new  modelled.  And  now  they  say  that  in  justifying  faith, 
"we  believe  that  to  be  true,  which  is  not  true  before  we  be- 
lieve it."  This  Mr.  Marshal  had  said.  And  this  saying  of 
Mr.  Marshal's,  Mr.  Wilson  undertakes  to  vindicate,  (p.  14.) 
pretending  full  assurance  that  the  whole  bible  and  all  the 
Protestant  world  are  on  his  side. 

Mr.  Cud  worth  was  affrighted  and  shocked  at  the  thought 
of  "  believing  that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true  before  we 
believe  it,  without  any  evidence  from  Scripture,  sense,  or 
reason,"  after  I  had  shown  the  absurdity  of  it  in  the  twelve- 
Queries  in  my  second  Dialogue.  He  felt  he  could  not  an- 
swer my  reasoning.  He  was  afraid.  He  durst  not  look  the 
point  fairly  in  the  face.  He  turned  his  eyes  and  buried  him- 
self in  obscurity  in  the  midst  of  a  multitude  of  ambiguous 
words.  And  to  pacify  his  credulous  reader,  says,  that  I  mis- 
represent their  scheme  ;  when  he  at  the  same  time,  knew 
that  I  had  represented  it  exactly  as  Mr.  Marshal,  a  writer 
highly  celebrated  by  all  their  party,  had  done.  See  his  fur- 
ther defence,  p.  246. 

But  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  man  of  courage ;  he  thinks  he  can 
maintain  the  point :  he  sees  it  must  be  done,  or  their  whole 
scheme  be  given  up.  He  has  tried  :  he  has  doubtless  done 
his  best.  And  this  is  the  very  point  now  to  be  examined, 
viz.  Whether  in  justifying  faith  "we  believe  that  to  be  true 
which  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it  ?'' 

A  position  in  itself  so  evidently  absurd,  that  were  it  not 
made  use  of  to  deceive  multitudes  of  precious  souls,  it  would 
not  deserve  the  least  attention  of  any  man  of  sense.  But 
matters  being  as  they  are,  it  is  worth  while  to  examine  it. 
This  position  evidently  lies  at  the  foundation  of  their  whole 
scheme.  And  if  this  single  position  is  false,  their  whole 
scheme  is  false.  For  they  all  affirm  that  our  sins  are  not 
forgiven  before  we  believe  they  are  forgiven.  And  that  in 
the  first  direct  act  of  justifying  faith  we  believe  they  are  for- 
given. And  therefore  it  is,  and  must  be,  a  fundamental 
maxim  with  them,  upon  the  truth  of  which  their  whole 


REFINED    ANT1NOMIANISM.  8t) 

scheme  depends,  that  in  justifying  faith,  we.  believe  that  to  be 
true,  K/iic/i  is  not  true  before  we  belitve  it. 

No  writer  I  ever  saw,  has  expressed  the  matter  with  such 
undisguised  honesty  and  simplicity,  as  their  celebrated  Mr. 
Marshall,  whose  Gospel  Mystery  of  Sanctification,  they  pro- 
fess to  value  next  to  the  bible.  Let  us  therefore  hear  his  own 
words  ;  look  into  their  plain  and  natural  meaning,  and  state 
distinctly  the  point  to  he  disputed. 

Mr.  Marshall's  words  are  these,  and  the  more  we  think  of 
them,  the  more  remarkable  will  they  appear.  "  Let  it  be 
well  observed,  that  the  reason  why  we  are  to  assure  ourselves 
in  our  faith  that  God  freely  giveth  Christ  and  his  salvation 
to  us  in  particular,  is  not  because  it  is  a  truth  before  we  be- 
lieve it,  but  because  it  becoineih  a  certain  truth  when  we  be- 
lieve it;  and  because  it  never  will  be  true,  except  we  do  in 
some  measure  persuade  and  assure  ourselves  that  it  is  so.  We 
have  no  absolute  promise  or  declaration  in  Scripture,  that 
God  certainly  will  or  doth  give  Christ  and  his  salvation  to 
any  one  of  us  in  particular;  neither  do  we  know  it  to  be  true 
already  by  Scripture,  or  sense,  or  reason,  before  we  assure  our- 
selves absolutely  of  it;  yea,  we  are  without  Christ's  salvation 
at  present,  in  a  state  of  sin  and  misery,  under  the  curse  and 
wrath  of  God.  Only,  we  are  bound  by  the  command  of  God 
thus  to  assure  ourselves  :  and  the  Scripture  doth  sufficiently 
warrant  us  that  we  shall  not  deceive  ourselves,  in  believing 
a  lie  :  but  according  to  our  faith,  so  shall  it  be  to  us.  Matt. 
ix.  '2[>.  This  is  a  strange  kind  of  assurance,  far  different 
from  other  ordinary  kinds;  and  therefore  no  wonder  if  it  be 
found  weak  and  imperfect,  and  difficult  to  be  obtained,  and 
assaulted  with  many  doublings.  We  are  constrained  to  be- 
lieve other  things  on  the  clear  evidence  we  have  that  they 
are  true,  and  would  remain  true,  whether  we  beiieve  them  or 
no :  so  that  we  cannot  deny  our  assent,  without  rebelling 
against  the  light  of  our  senses,  reason,  or  conscience.  But 
here  our  assurance  is  not  impressed  on  our  thoughts  by  any 
evidence  of  the  thing;  but  we  must  work  it  out  in  ourselves 
by  the  assistance  of  the  spirit  of  God."  Mystery,  p.  173, 
174e.  In  this  plain,  honest  declaration,  which  opens  to 

P  New-York  edition,  page  157- 

VOL.  ni.  12 


QO  A  BLOW  AT  THE  ROOT  OF 

clear  view  the  heart  and  soul  of  their  whole  scheme,  these 
eight  things  may  be  observed. 

).  In  general:  that  "  this  is  a  STRANGE  kind  of  assur- 
ance, FAR  DIFFERENT  from  other  ordinary  kinds."  In  all 
other  kindsof  assurance,  he  observes,  there  are  these  two  things. 
1.  What  we  believe  "  is  true  before  we  believe  it,  and  whe- 
ther we  believe  it  or  no."  2.  "  We  are  constrained  to  believe, 
on  the  clear  evidence  we  have  that  they  are  true."  But  "  this 
is  a  strange  kind  of  assurance,  far  different  from  other  ordi- 
nary kinds,"  in  these  two  respects  :  1.  As  we  believe  "  that 
to  be  true,  which  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it;  and  never 
would  be  true,  if  we  did  not  believe  it."  2.  As  we  believe 
"  without  any  evidence  of  the  thing." — "  Any  evidence  from 
Scripture,  sense,  or  reason."  Herein  the  strangeness  consists, 
and  its  difference  from  all  other  kinds  of  assurance  in  the 
universe. 

A  true  convert  gets  assurance  thus :  the  word  of  God 
teaches,  John  i.  12,  That  he  who  receives  Christ  and  believes 
in  his  name,  is  a  child  of  God ;  but  I  receive  Christ  and  be- 
lieve in  his  name,  therefore  I  am  a  child  of  God.  Again,  the 
word  of  God  teaches,  Acts  iii.  JQ.  that  he  who  repents  and 
is  converted,  shall  have  his  sins  blotted  out;  but  I  repent  and 
am  converted ;  therefore  my  sins  are  blotted  out.  Once 
more,  the  word  of  God  teaches,  Acts  xvi.  31.  that  he  who 
believes  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  shall  be  saved ;  but  1  be- 
lieve in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  therefore  I  shall  be  saved. 
This  is  the  "  ordinary"  way  of  getting  assurance.  And  the 
things  believed  are  true  before  we  believe  them  :  and  we  be- 
lieve only  in  exact  proportion  to  our  evidence. 

But  in  "  this  strnnge  kind  of  assurance,"  a  sinner  who  as 
yet  is  impenitent,  unconverted,  has  not  received  Christ,  nor 
believed  in  his  name,  but  is  "  under  the  wrath  and  curse  of 
God,"  believes  his  sins  are  forgiven ;  not  because  they  are, 
for  they  are  not ;  not  because  he  has  evidence  they  are,  for 
he  has  none;  but  full  evidence  to  the  contrary  :  but,  say  they, 
because  God  has  commanded  him  lo  believe  that  they  are 
forgiven,  and  promised  that  if  he  believes  they  are  forgiven, 
they  shall  be  forgiven.  That  is,  God  has  commanded  him 
to  believe  what  is  not  true,  and  promised  that  if  he  believes 


REFINED    ANTINOMIAN1SM.  Ql 

that  which  is  not  true,  it  shall  become  a  truth.  "  According 
to  our  faith  so  shall  it  be  to  us."  Not  that  that  text  in  Mat. 
ix.  29.  speaks  a  word  about  "  this  strange  kind  of  assurance  :" 
for  it  does  not.  The  thing  the  two  blind  men  believed  was 
true  before  they  believed  it :  and  they  were  constrained  to 
believe  by  clear  evidence  ;  viz.  That  Christ  was  able  to  open 
their  eyes.  See  ver.  27,  28.  No.  This  kind  of  assurance  is 
so  strange,  that  it  is  not  so  much  as  once  required,  command- 
ed, exhorted  to,  or  recommended  in  the  bible  ;  nor  anything 
like  it.  Nor  indeed  is  there  any  thing  like  it  in  the  universe. 
For  it  is  in  truth  "  a  strange  kind  of  assurance,  far  different 
from  other  ordinary  kinds."  But  to  be  more  particular;  and 
that  even  those  who  are  of  the  weakest  capacity  may  not  on- 
ly think,  but  be  quite  certain,  that  we  do  not  misunderstand 
this  author,  so  very  highly  celebrated  by  gentlemen  of  the 
first  rank  on  that  side  of  the  question,  observe, 

2.  The  thing  to  be  believed  is  a  supposed  fact,  which  has 
no  existence,  viz.  "  that  God  freely  giveth  Christ  and  his  sal- 
vation to  us  in  particular."  Which  he  says,  "  is  not  true 
before  we  believe  it."  But  pray,  what  does  he  mean  by  God's 
giving  Christ  and  his  salvation  to  us  in  particular  ?"  We  of- 
ten read  in  the  bible  of  the  gift  of  Christ,  but  every  thing 
taught  in  the  bible  relating  to  that  grand  and  glorious  affair, 
is  true  before  we  believe,  and  whether  we  believe  or  no.  For 
instance ;  is  it  not  true,  whether  we  believe  it  or  not,  that  God 
to  loved  the  world,  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  who- 
toevtr  beliiveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life'?  John  iii.  16.  And  are  not  those  words  true,  whether 
we  believe  them  or  not,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life, 
and  this  life  is  in  his  Son?  1  John  v.  11.  And  ngain,  were 
not  those  words  true,  whether  the  Jews  believed  them  or  not, 
wy  Father  giveth  you  the  true  bread  from  heaven?  John  vi. 
:)2.  Yes  ;  beyond  all  doubt  all  these  things  are  true,  and  eve- 
ry single  sentiment  implied  in  them  is  true,  has  been  true 
above  these  thousand  years,  and  will  remain  true,  whether 
we  believe  them  or  not.  And  indeed  this  is  the  case  with  all 
the  truths  contained  in  the  bible  ;  yea,  with  every  single  truth 
in  the  universe.  They  are  true  before  we  believe  them,  and 
whether  we  helievo  thorn  or  not. 


92  A    BLOW    AT    THE    ROOT    OF 

What  then  does  Mr.  Marshall  mean,  by  God's  "  giving 
Christ  and  his  salvation  to  us  in  particular  ?"  Which,  he  says, 
te  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it."  Not  that  giving  of  Christ 
we  read  of  in  the  bible  ;  but  something  essentially  different. 
He  plainly  means  giving  us  in  particular  u  saving  interest  in 
Christ  and  his  salvation:  granting  us  pardon, justification, 
and  a  title  to  eternal  life,  while  impenitent  and  unconverted. 
This  is  plain  from  what  he  considers  as  opposite  thereto. 
"  Yea,  we  are  without  Christ's  salvation  at  present,  in  a  state 
of  sin  and  misery,  under  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God." 
Which  words  determine  his  meaning  with  the  utmost  cer- 
tainty. So  that  the  fact  to  be  believed  to  be  true,  is  this,  that 
we  have  a  saving  interest  in  Christ,  are  delivered  from  "  the 
wrath  and  curse  of  God,5>  are  pardoned  and  entitled  to  eter- 
nal life  :  and  indeed  this  is  no  more  than  Mr.  Wilson,  and  all 
others  in  his  scheme,  hold  that  we  do  believe,  in  the  first 
direct  act  of  justifying  faith  ;  and  without  which  they  all  af- 
firm our  faith  is  not  saving.  Mr.  Wilson  affirms  this  over 
and  over  again,  perhaps  an  hundred  times,  through  both  his 
volumes.  Particularly,  p.  145,  he  defines  justifying  faith  in 
these  words:  "Justifying  faith  is  a  believing  the  remission 
of  sins  with  special  application  to  a  man's  self. Now  ob- 
serve, 

3.  Mr.  Marshall  says,  "  this  is  not  true  before  we  believe 
it."     But  had  it  been  declared,  expressly  or  implicitly, in  the 
word  of  God,   it  had  been  true  before  we    believe  it,   and 
whether  we  believe  it,  or  no  :  for  this  is  the  case  with  every 
declaration  in  the  bible.     But  Mr.  Marshall  is  so  open,  frank, 
and  honest,  as  to  own  that  it  is  not  taught  in  the  word  of  God. 
"  We  have  no  absolute  promise  or  declaration  in  Scripture, 
that  God  doth  or  will  give  Christ  and  his  salvation  to  any  one 
of  us  in  particular.     Yea,  we  are  without  Christ's  salvation  at 
present,  under  the  wrath  of  God." Therefore, 

4.  The  thing  to  be  believed  to  be  true,   instead  of  being 
true  before  we  believe  it,  is  false.  Yea,  is  known  to  be  false,  is 
owned  to  be  false,  is  publicly  declared  before  the  world  to  be 
false.  Instead  of  our  having  a  saving  interest  in  Christ,   we 
"  are  under  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God."     And  therefore  this 
honest  man,  in  perfect  consistence  with  himself,  declares, 


REF1KEI)  ANTINOMIAXISM.  93 

5.  Neither  do  we  know  it  to  be  true  already  by  Scripture, 
or  sense,  or  reason  :"  our  assurance  is  not  "  impressed  on  our 
thoughts  by  A  is  Y  evidence  of  the  thing".     And  indeed,  no- 
thing could  be  more  absurd  and  self-contradictory,   than   to 
pretend,  (as  some  of  the  party  seem  to  do,)  to  have  any  evi- 
dence of  the  truth  of  a  fact,  which  is   known    and  acknow- 
ledged not  to  be  true.     For  if  we  not  only  think,  but  know 
that  it  is  not  true,  we  know  that  there  is  evidence  of  its  un- 
truth.    Not  simply  no  evidence  of  its  truth  ;  but  full   demon- 
stration of  its  falsehood  f.     But  how  a  man,  not  given  up  to 
delusion,  can  believe  that  to   be   true,   which    he  certainly 
knows  is  false,  may  puzzle  a  Locke  or  Newton  to  say.  How- 
ever, Mr.  Marshall  goes  on  to  declare, 

6.  That  herein  lies  the  great  difficulty   of  believing,   not 
as  it  is  with  divine  truths,  because  the  thing  to  be  believed  is 
contrary  to    our  vicious  biasses ;  (John  iii.   ly.)  but   merely 
because  we  have  no  evidence  of  its  truth,  but  full  demonstra- 
tion that  it  is  false.     "This  is  a   strange   kind  of  assurance, 
far  different  from  other  ordinary  kinds ;  and    therefore  no 
wonder  if  it  be  found  weak  and  imperfect,  and  difficult  to  be 
obtained,  and  assaulted  with   many  doublings."     But  pray, 
wherein  does  it  differ  from  all  ether  kinds  of  assurance  ?  and 
why  is  it  so  difficult  to  be  obtained  ?     He  goes  on  to  say^ 

f  Mr.  Marshall's  meaning  is  so  plain,  that  it  seems  impossible  it  should  be  any 
plainer.  And  these  words  did  not  drop  from  his  pen  inadvertently  ;  but  the 
plain  truth  of  the  case  drew  them  from  him.  For  he  has  said  nothing  but  what 
is  absolutely  essential  to  their  scheme.  He  knew  it  was  so  ;  and  he  had  honesty 
enough  to  own  it.  True,  Mr.  Cud  worth  was  sensible  he  could  not  vindicate  the 
scheme,  set  in  this  open  honest  light :  therefore  he,  (absolutely  without  any 
grounds,)  pretends  I  misrepresent  their  scheme;  and  then  buries  up  himself  in 
a  heap  of  ambiguous  words  ;  without  attempting  to  answer  my  queries  upon  the 
point.  But  I  appeal  to  all  men  of  common  sense,  into  whose  hands  this  shall 
«ome,  whether  I  do  not  understand  Mr.  Marshall's  words  in  the  sense,  the  very 
sense,  the  only  sense  they  can  possibly  bear.  It  is  plain  beyond  dispute,  that 
Mr.  Wilson  understands  them  in  the  very  sense  I  do.  For,  as  we  shall  see 
presently,  he  maintains  that  in  justifying  faith,  "  we  believe  that  to  be  true  whick 
is  not  true  before  we  believe  it"  Well !  if  it  is  not  true,  it  is  false.  And  if  it  is 
not  true,  it  implies  a  contradiction  to  say,  that  there  is  "  any  evidence  from 
Scripture,  sense,  or  reason,"  of  its  truth.  And  therefore  if  it  be  believed  at  all,  it 
must  be,  "  without  any  evidence  from  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason,"  as  Mr.  Mar- 
shall honestly  owns. 


1)4  A    BLOW  AT  THE   ROOT  OF 

"  we  are  constrained  to  believe  other  things  on  the  clear 
evidence  that  we  have,  that  they  are  true,  and  would  remain 
true,  whether  we  believe  them  or  no ;  so  that  we  cannot  deny 
our  assent  without  rebellion  against  the  light  of  our  senses, 
reason,  or  conscience:  but  here  our  assurance  is  not  impressed 
on  our  thoughts  BY  AMY  EVIDENCE  OF  THE  THING  "  And 
on  this  account,  and  merely  on  this  account,  is  it  difficult  to 
believe  this  fact.  For  there  is  no  man  but  that  would  be 
glad  to  believe,  that  instead  of  going  to  hell  after  death,  he 
shall  be  for  ever  happy  in  heaven.  Balaam  said,  let  me  die 
the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  latter  end  be  like  his.  So 
that  wicked  men  would  be  glad  to  get  this  faith;  and  if  they 
cannot  get  it,  it  is  not  because  they  are  not  willing  to  have 
it,  as  was  the  case  with  the  wicked  Jews,  whom  Christ  up- 
braided, John  v.  40.  YE  WILL  NOT  come  to  me  that  itt 
might  have  life ;  but  merely  because  they  have  not  "  any  evi- 
dence of  the  thing."  So  then  they  are  not  to  blame  for  their 
unbelief ;  for  it  is  no  crime.  Rather  they  are  to  be  pitied; 
for  it  can  be  considered  only  as  a  calamity.  And  according- 
ly, several  writers  have  of  late  appeared  in  Great- Britain,  zeal- 
ous to  prove,  that  faith  is  no  duty,  and  unbelief  no  sin. 

Thus  far  then  Mr.  Marshall's  words  are  plain,  and  we  can- 
not mistake  his  meaning:  but  the  next  particular  is  not  with- 
out some  difficulty.  For, 

7.  He  says,  that  the  fact  not  being  true,  but  rather  known 
to  be  false,  and  so  there  being  no  evidence  of  any  kind,  or 
from  any  quarter  to  build  our  faith  upon,  we  must  therefore 
"  work  it  out  in  ourselves  by  the  assistance  of  the  spirit  of 
God."  But  how  can  a  man  in  his  right  senses,  go  about  to 
work  up  himself  to  believe  that  to  be  true  which  he  knows 
is  not  true,  but  absolutely  false?  and  which  way  does  a  man 
go  to  work  in  this  case?  He  does  not  look  for  evidence  ;  for 
IIP  knows  there  is  none  from  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason. 
Nay,  fie  does  not  try  to  believe  it  to  be  true,  as  supposing  it 
true  ;  for  he  knows  it  is  not  true.  But  he  tries  to  believe  it  is 
true,  that  it  may  become  true  by  his  believing  it  to  be  true. 
Surprising,  shocking  affair ! 

And  all  this  "  by  the  assistance  of  the  spirit  of  God."  But 
pray,  how  can  the  spirit  of  God  grant  any  assistance  in  such 


KEJF1NEI)  ANTINOMIAMSM.  95 

a  case  ?     Were  the  fact  true,  and  were  there  evidence  ef  its 
truth,  we  should  need  no  assistance  in  the   case.     A  wicked 
man  is  as  able,  and  as  willing  to  believe  such  a  fact,  as  anj 
saint  in  the  world.     And  since  the  lact  is  known   not  to  be 
true,  and  it  is  known  there  is  no  evidence  of  its  truth,  but  full 
demonstration  of  its  falsehood,  what  assistance  can  the  spi- 
rit of  God  grant  in  the  case  ?     The  Psalmist  prays,  open  thou 
mine  tyes^  that  I  may  behold  wondrous  things  out  of  thy  law. 
And  if  our  vicious  biasses  render  us  inattentive  to,  and  pre- 
judice us  against,  divine  truths,  so  that  we  are  slow  of  heart 
to  believe  them  to  be,  what  in  fact  they  are,  whether  we  be- 
lieve or  no;  or  if  we  hate  the  light  because  our  detds  are  evil, 
if  we  hate  the  truth  because  it  condemns  us,  we  may  need  the 
influences  of  the  divine  spirit  to  remove   our  prejudices,   to 
open  our  eyes,  to  make  us  attentive  to,  and  give  us  a  relish 
for  the  truth,  to  cause  us  to  savour  the  things  which  be  of  God; 
and  so  long  as  any  corruption  remains  in  our  hearts,  to  blind 
our  minds  to  the  holy  beauty  and  glory  of  divine  truths,  we 
may  need  the  divine  spirit  to  open  our  eyes,  that  we  may  be- 
hold wondrous  things  out  of  God's   law.     But  in  this  case, 
there  is  no  prejudice  in  the  heart  of  the  most  wicked  man  in 
the  world  to  be  removed  ;  for  the  fact  believed  would  have 
suited  Balaam,  himself.     And  it  can  be  of  no  advantage  to 
have  our  eyes  opened  in  the  case  ;  but  rather  a  disadvantage. 
For  the  wider  our  eyes  are  opened,  the  more  plainly  and 
clearly  shall  we  see,  that  it  is  not  true,  but  absolutely   false  ; 
that  there  is  no  evidence  of  its  truth,  but  full  demonstration 
of  its  falsehood.    There  is  nothing  in  the  case,  therefore,  to 
be  done  by  auy  spirit  for  us,  but  to  put  out  our  eyes,  and 
blind  our  minds,  that  so  we  may,  by  the  mighty  power  of  de- 
lusion, be  led  firmly  to  believe  a  lie.     But  surely,  no  spirit 
will  do  this  for  us,  but  that  wicked  spirit  who  is  the  father  of 
lies,  and  a  murderer  from   the  beginning.     He  may  bring 
texts  of  Scripture  to  us,  as  once  he  did  to  our  Saviour,  and 
apply  them  to  our  souls,  one  after  another,  till  ravished  with 
joy,  we  cry  out,  "  I  know   my  sins  are  forgiven !     I  know- 
God  loves  me!  I  know  I  shall  be  saved  !  1  am  as  certain  of 
it,  as  of  my  own  existence  !  and  should   all  the  world  say  I 
am  deluded,  I  would  not  regard  them  !"     I  have  been  par- 


§6  A    BLOW    AT    THE    ROOT    OF 

ticularly  acquainted  with  many  instances  of  sinners  thus  de- 
luded. Numbers  of  our  converts  in  New-England  twenty 
years  ago,  were  to  all  appearance  converted  thus. 

Thus  we  have  taken  an  impartial  view  of  Mr.  Marshall's 
doctrine,  the  very  doctrine  Mr.  Wilson  has  undertaken  to 
vindicate ;  and  for  a  complete  stating  the  question  to  be  dis- 
puted, there  is  but  one  observation  more  to  be  made. 

8-  A  fundamental  maxim  in  Mr.  Marshall's  scheme,  on 
which  all  the  rest  depends;  I  say,  a  fundamental  maxim  in. 
Mr.  Marshall's  whole  scheme  is,  that  in  justifying  faith  "  we 
believe  that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it." 
And  this  maxim  is  absolutely  essential  to  his  scheme.  For, 

The  fact  believed  is,  that  "  my  sins  are  forgiven,"  or  in 
other  words,  "  that  I  have  a  saving  interest  in  Christ  and  all 
the  benefits  purchased  by  him."  Now  if  they  say  that  this 
is  true  before  I  believe  it,  they  must,  with  the  grossest  sort  of 
Antinomians,  hold  that  we  are  justified  before  faith,  in  express 
contradiction  to  the  whole  Gospel.  This  they  do  not,  they 
dare  not  say.  They  are  therefore  under  an  absolute  necessi- 
ty to  say,  "  that  we  believe  that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true 
before  we  believe  it." 

But  if  it  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it,  then  every  thing 
Mr.  Marshall  has  said  will  inevitably  follow.  For  if  it  is  not 
true,  it  is  false.  If  it  is  not  true,  there  is,  there  can  be,  no 
"  evidence  from  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason,"  that  it  is  true  ; 
and  therefore  we  must  believe  "  without  any  evidence  of  the 
thing.''  And  so  it  is  "  a  strange  kind  of  assurance,"  and 
"  difficult  to  be  obtained,"  and  we  must  "  work  it  out  in  our- 
selves." And  it  being  so  contrary  to  common  sense,  even  to 
the  reason  of  all  mankind,  to  believe  that  to  be  true  which  we 
know  is  not  true,  we  evidently  need  the  assistance  of  some 
spirit  in  the  affair.  Not  the  spirit  of  God  indeed,  tor  he 
never  helps  men  to  believe  any  thing  but  what  is  true  be- 
fore we  believe  it. 

If  therefore  it  can  be  proved,  that  this  fundamental  maxim 
is  false,  down  goes  their  whole  scheme,  and  all  who  are  set- 
tled upon  it  lie  buried  in  its  ruins. 

1.  It  is  self-evident,  that  in  all  instances,  a  thing  must  ex- 
ist, at  least  in  order  of  nature,  before  its  existence  can  be 


REFINED  ANT1NOMIANISM.  97 

discerned  by  the  human  mind.  To  say  otherwise,  is  an  ex- 
press contradiction.  For  to  discern  that  a  thing  exists  before 
it  does  exist,  is  to  see  that  it  is  before  it  is :  which  is  the  same 
as  to  say  that  a  thing  may  be,  and  not  be,  at  the  same  time. 
Which  is  an  express  contradiction. 

But  to  believe  my  sins  are  forgiven,  is  to  discern  that  this 
fact  is  really  so,  that  this  thing  does  exist.  Its  existence 
then  is  in  order  of  nature,  before  I  discern  its  existence.  For 
to  say  I  can  see  a  thing  to  be,  which  is  not,  is  an  express  con- 
tradiction. So  then  they  must  say,  we  are  justified  before 
faith,  or  their  faith  is  an  inconsistent,  self-contradictory  thing. 

I  am  well  aware  that  this  sort  of  converts,  in  their  inward 
experiences,  are  wont  to  have  the  love  of  God  and  pardon  of 
sin,  to  their  apprehension,  manifested  to  their  souls  before 
they  believe.  For  this  manifestation  is  the  ground  of  their 
belief:  and  indeed  it  would  be  simply  impossible  they  ever 
should  believe,  if  they  had  not  something  of  this  nature.  For 
no  human  mind  can  believe  what  appears  to  be  not  true.  But 
it  will  not  do  to  speak  out  this  secret,  and  tell  the  world  plain- 
ly how  it  is.  For  then  it  would  appear  that  they  are  justified 
before  faith,  and  all  would  join  to  condemn  them  as  gross 
Antinomians.  And  therefore  they  are  obliged  to  give  such 
an  account  of  their  faith,  as  in  its  own  nature  evidently  im- 
plies a  contradiction.  Nor  can  you  get  one  of  these  men 
coolly  and  impartially  to  attend  to  this  point,  because  they 
are  conscious  of  an  insuperable  difficulty.  Rather,  they  will 
bury  themselves  in  obscurity,  in  a  multitude  of  ambiguous 
words,  not  at  a,ll  to  the  purpose.  Witness  Mr.  Cud  worth's 
Further  Defence,  and  Mr.  Wilson's  Review. 

2.  The  thing  believed  to  be  true,  is  on  their  own  scheme 
not  true. For, 

They  all  hold  that  we  are  not  pardoned  until  after  faith,  at 
least  in  order  of  nature.  To  be  sure,  Mr.  Wilson  expresses 
this  strongly.  He  says,  p.  209,  that  "  justification  is  a  con- 
sequent of  our  union  with  Christ  by  faith."  And  to  the  same 
purpose,  p.  194,  195.  205,  &c.  Now,  if  it  be  a  consequent 
of  our  union  with  Christ  by  faith,  then  it  does  not  exist  till 
after  faith.  Faith  is  in  order  of  nature  before  justification. 
But  their  faith  consists  in  believing  they  are  justified.  And 

VOL.  HI.  13 


98  A  BLOW  AT  THE  ROOT  O¥ 

so  it  consists  in  the  believing  of  a  lie  :  unless  they  will  con- 
tradict themselves,  and  say  that  justification  is  not  a  conse- 
quent of  our  union  with  Christ  by  faith.  Or  else  affirm,  that 
to  believe  a  thing  is  when  it  is  not,  is  not  to  believe  a  lie. — - 
Besides, 

The  proposition  believed  to  be  true  in  their  faith,  is  what 
they  themselves  must  own  to  be  a  lie,  on  another  account. 
For  in  their  faith,  the  proposition  believed  to  be  true  is,  that 
an  unbeliever  is  justified.     For  their  faith  does  not  consist  in 
believing  this  proposition,  viz.  /,  who  am  a  believer,  am  jus- 
tified*     For  this  is  true  before  it  is  believed,  and  whether  it  is 
believed  or  not.    But  their  faith  consists  in  believing  this  pro- 
position, viz.  /,  who  am  an  unbeliever,  am  justified,  which,  as 
they  say,  is  not  true  before  it  is  believed,  and  for  the  truth  of 
•which  we  have  no  evidence  from  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason. 
Fortbey  all  maintain,  that  in  the  firstact  of  justifying  faith,  prior 
to  any  reflection  on  my  own  act,  1  believe  my  sins  are  all  for- 
given, p.    102.  123.  "  without   knowing  any  thing    further 
about  my  state,  than  that  I  am  by  nature  a  child  of  wrath, 
and  an  heir  of  hell,  under  the  curse  of  an  angry  and  sin-re- 
venging God."  p.  175.  But  if  1  believe,  that  /,  who,  to  my 
own  apprehension,  am  an  unbeliever,  am  justified ;  then  I  be- 
lieve, that  an  unbeliever  is  justified;  which  they  own  not  to  be 
true.     Indeed,  they  hold  that  in  my  believing  it  to  be  true,  it 
becomes  true.     And  so,  though  it  was  an  untruth,  yet  now  it 
becomes  true.    And  so  they  keep  themselves  from  seeing  that 
which  they  believe  continues  to  be  a  lie.     However,  it  was  a 
lie   when  first  believed,  according  to  their  own  scheme  :   for 
it  becomes  true,  only  in  consequence  of  their  believing  it  to 
be  true. — And   if  God  has  never  said,  as  in  fact  he  has  not, 
that  if  we  believe  our  sins  are  forgiven,  they  shall  be  forgiven ; 
what  they  believe  is  not  only  a  lie,  when  they  believe  it,  but 
also  continues  to  be  a  lie,  notwithstanding  their  faith  ;  and 
will  be  found  to  be  so  at  tfie  day  of  judgment,   according  to 
the  express  declaration   of  our  blessed   Saviour.    Mat.  vii. 
21—27. 

But  again,  what  they  believe  may  be  proved  to  be  a  lie 
by  another  argument.  Thus,  according  to  Scripture,  no  im- 
penitent sinner,  while  such,  ever  was,  or  ever  will  be  forgiven. 


BEFINED  ANTINOMIANISM.  99 

But  they  believe  themselves  forgiven  while  impenitent: 
therefore  what  they  believe  is  a  lie.  That  no  impenitent 
sinner,  while  such,  ever  was,  or  ever  will  be  forgiven,  is 
plain  from  Lev.  xxvi.  throughout.  1  Kings  viii.  throughout. 
Prov.  xxviii.  13.  Isai.  Iv.  7.  -Luke  xiii.  6.  Act*  ii.  38.  &  iii. 
19.  &c.  8cc.  as  I  have  proved  at  large  in  another  place. 
(Essay  on  the  Nature  of  the  Gospel.  Sect,  viii.)  Nor  can  these 
men  deny  it,  without  expressly  contradicting  the  Westminster 
wnftssion  of  faith,  which  asserts,  Chap.  xv.  That  no  sinner 
mat/  expect  jxirdon  without  repentance.  And  if  they  give  up 
that  confession  of  faith,  as  heterodox,  what  will  become  of 
their  bold  pretences,  and  confident  affirmation,  that"  oil  the 
protestant  world  ar«  on  their  side,  except  Arminians,  Baxte- 
rians,  and  ranting  Sectaries  r"  p.  Qb.  But  they  believe  them- 
selves forgiven  while  impenitent.  As  is  certain  from  this, 
that  they  all  hold  that  a  belief  they  are  forgiven  is  the  very 
thing  which  causes  them  to  begin  to  repent.  Therefore, 
their  faith  consists  in  believing  a  lie. — But, 

3.  Granting  the  fact  believed  to  be  indeed  true,  yet  as  it  is 
acknowledged  to  be  no  truth  revealed  in  the  Gospel,  their 
faith  is  not  an  evangelical  faith,  nor  are  those  religious  affec- 
tions which  How  from  it,  evangelical  graces.    For  as  the  fact 
believed  is  not  revealed  in  the  Gospel,  so  it  is  no  part  of  Gos- 
pel truth.     And  so  their  faith  is  not  Gospel  faith,  nor  their 
holiness  Gospel  holiness.     For  all  evangelical  and  holy  af- 
fections are  excited  in  the  mind  by  Gospel  truths.  Psalm  xix. 
7-  John  xvii.  17.  Jam.  i.  18.  They  may  be  called  Antino- 
inians  ;  and  they  greatly  resemble  the  ancient  Manicheans; 
as  I  have  shown  in  the  fo/ementioned  essay :  but  they  cannot 
with  propriety,  be  called  Christians;  for  that  which  is  the 
foundation  of  their  scheme,  is  no  part  of  Christianity,  is  not 
once  taught  in  Christ's  Gospel ;  as  they  themselves  acknow- 
ledge.    For  the  whole  Gospel,  they  own,  is  true  before  we 
believe  it,  and  whether  we  believe  it  or  not.    But  the  first  and 
fundamental   article  of  their  creed,  and  that  from  which  all 
their  religious  affections  flow,  is  not  true  before  they  believe 
it  to  be  true  ;  and  so  it  is  no  part  of  the  Gospel. 

4.  In  order  to  prove   Mr.  Sandeman's  faith  not  to  be  jus- 
tifying faith,  Mr.  Wilson  uses  this  argument :     "  Every 


ICO  A  BLOW  AT  THE  ROOT  OF 

who  is  possessed  of  justifying  faith,  must  undoubtedly  be 
justified;  but  a  general  belief  of  the  Gospel,  or  a  general 
assent  to  the  truth  of  the  facts  recorded  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, is  to  be  found  with  many  who  were  never  justified  : 
therefore  a  general  faith,  or  assent  to  the  truths  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  history  of  the  facts  recorded  in  the  New  Testament, 
is  not  justifying  faith."  p.  72.  This  argument  he  asserts 
to  be  conclusive.  But  it  is  equally  strong  against  him- 
self. For  every  one  who  is  possessed  of  justifying  faith, 
must  be  undoubtedly  justified;  but  a  belief  of  the  remission 
of  sins,  with  application  to  a  man's  self,  which  is  his  own, 
definition  of  justifying  faith,  p.  145,  is  to  be  found  with  many 
who  were  never  justified  ;  as  he  himself  owns,  p.  102.  There- 
fore this  belief  is  not  justifying  faith." 

Should  he  say,  that  self-deceived  sinners  do  not  believe 
their  sins  to  be  forgiven,  upon  the  testimony  of  God  in  his 
word  ;  the  same  is  true  on  his  scheme,  by  his  own  acknow- 
ledgment, for  it  was  not  true  before  he  believed  it.  But 
the  testimony  of  God  is  true  before  we  believe  it,  and 
whether  we  ever  believe  it  or  not :  as  he  himself  owns.  There- 
fore his  faith  is  not  built  on  the  divine  testimony  ;  but  ra- 
ther, as  Mr.  Marshall  says,  "is  without  any  evidence  from 
Scripture,  sense,  or  reason." 

Or  should  he  say,  that  the  faith  of  deluded  sinners  is  not 
productive  of  evangelical  graces,  the  same  may  be  said  of 
his  faith.  For  no  religious  affections  can  be  called  evangeli- 
cal graces,  which  do  not  result  from  the  knowledge  and  be- 
lief of  some  truth,  revealed  in  the  Gospel.  But  the  supposed 
truth  which  is  the  source  of  all  their  religious  affections,  is 
not  contained  in  the  Gospel,  as  they  themselves  own. 

Or  should  he  say,  that  deceived  sinners  are  prompted  to 
believe  their  sins  forgiven,  from  a  self-righteous  spirit  :  just 
this  is  the  case  on  the  scheme  of  these  men.  As  I  have 
proved  at  large,  Essay,  Sect.  IX.  There  is  no  possible  way 
then  for  him  to  get  rid  of  the  force  of  his  own  argument. 
It  is  equally  conclusive  against  his  scheme,  arid  Mr.  Sande- 
man's;  and  does  indeed  confute  them  both  at  once. 

Thus  we  see,  that  the  faith  of  these  gentlemen,   in  which 


REFINED  ANT1NOMIANISM.  Itl 

they  profess  to  believe  that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true  be- 
fore we  believe  it,  implies  a  contradiction  in  its  own  nature; 
is  the  belief  of  a  lie  ;  is  no  Gospel  faith;  is  nothing  more 
than  deluded  sinners  may  have  :  it  is  therefore  very  far  from 
being  that  precious  faith  which  is  peculiar  to  God's  elect, 
and  which  is  infallibly  connected  with  eternallife.  Nothing 
therefore  now  remains,  but  to  attend  carefully  to  Mr.  Wil- 
son's arguments  in  its  vindication,  which  may  be  summed 
up  in  these  four. 

Mr.  Wilson's  arguments  to  prove,  that  in  justifying  faith, 
ice  believe  that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true  before  we  bt- 
lieve  it. 

Arg.  1.  From  the  offers  and  promises  of  the  Gospel.  His 
notion  is,  that  the  declaration  of  the  Gospel  amounts  to 
this  :  O,  impenitent,  unconverted,  Christless  sinner,  btlit-veand 
thou  sha It  be  saved ;  i.  e.  believe  thy  sins  are  forgiven,  and 
they  shall  be  forgiven.  Believe  thou  shall  be  saved,  and  it 
shall  be  to  thee  according  to  thy  faith.  It  is  not  true  before 
we  believe;  but  in  believing  it  to  be  true,  it  becomes  true. 
According  to  thy  faith  so  shall  it  be  to  thee,  p.  14.  But  this 
declaration  is  not  made  in  the  Gospel :  but  is  a  lie  ;  and  he 
that  believes  it,  believes  a  lie  ;  as  has  been  already  proved. 

Mr.  Wilson  has  laboured  the  point,  in  vindication  of  Mr. 
Marshall's  words,  p.  28,  29,  30,  31  ;  and  this  is  the  sum  and 
substance  of  his  plea  :  "an  offered  gift  is  not  mine  before  I 
receive  it." — "  But  the  offer  gives  me  a  right  to  receive  it.*' 
"  To  believe  it  mine  is  to  receive  it."  Therefore,  in  justifying 
faith,  we  believe  that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true  before  we 
believe  it ;  a  mere  fallacy.  To  believe  a  thing  mine,  is  differ- 
ent from,  and  a  consequence  of,  receiving  it. — For  instance,  a 
man  offers  me  a  guinea ;  the  guinea  suits  my  heart,  1  receive 
it,  I  know  I  receive  it,  and  so  I  know  and  believe  it  is  mine. 
But  here  is  nothing  like  believing  a  thing  to  be  true,  which  is 
not  true  before  1  believe  it. 

The  Pharisees  firmly  believed,  that  the  God  of  Abraham 
was  their  God,  and  father,  and  friend,  and  would  make  them 
happy  for  ever.  Tliis  none  can  deny.  But  did  they  receive 
the  God  of  Abraham  for  their  God  and  portion,  as  he  was 


102  A  BLOW  AT  THE  ROOT   OF 

offered  to  them  in  the  Old  Testament?  No,  far  from  it. 
They  hated  and  rejected  him  with  all  their  hearts,  and  mur- 
dered his  very  image,  his  only  hegotten  Son.  Just  so  a  de- 
luded sinner  may  be  ravished  in  a  belief  that  Christ,  pardon, 
and  heaven,  are  his  own  ;  and  yet  in  the  mean  time  may 
hate  and  reject  with  the  utmost  abhorrence,  that  Christ,  that 
pardon,  and  that  heaven,  which  are  offered  in  the  Gospel ; 
as  I  have  shown  at  large  iu  the  foremeniioned  Essay. 

"We  agree,  that  the  Gospel  proposes  nothing  to  be  be- 
lieved by  us,"  says  Mr.  Wilson,  IC  but  what  is  infallibly  true, 
whether  we  believe  it  or  not.  But  if  any  one  should  from 
hence  infer,  that  the  Gospel  does  not  afford  sufficient  war- 
rant,  or  lay  a  foundation  for  believing  any  thing  but  what  is 
infallibly  true  whether  we  believe  it  or  not ;  this  we  beg  leave 
to  deny.  For  as  God  in  the  Gospel  freely  promises,  or 
makes  an  offer  of  life  and  salvation  to  sinners  through  Jesus 
Christ,  it  is  evident,  the  promise  cannot  be  believed  but  in 
the  way  of  appropriating  the  gift,  or  believing  they  shall  be 
saved  through  his  blood:  which  certainly  cannot  be  said  to 
be  a  truth,  whether  we  believe  it  or  not;  for  if  it  was,  all 
who  hear  the  Gospel  would  infallibly  be  saved. 

"The  matter  is  plainly  this:  the  Gospel  no  where  proposes 
it  as  a  truth  to  be  believed,  that  men  shall  be  saved  through 
Christ,  whether  they  believe  or  not;  but  it  every  where  testi- 
fies, that  he  that  believeth  shall  be  saved.  Now  this  very  de- 
claration, published,  and  frequently  repeated  in  the  Gospel 
for  the  encouragement  of  sinners,  makes  it  warrantable,  for 
every  one  of  them  to  believe  his  own  particular  salvation 
through  Christ.  And  the  truth  is,  till  he  believes  this  up- 
on the  footing  of  the  divine  promise,  faithfulness,  or  veracity, 
he  in  effect,  really,  and  in  the  sense  of  Scripture,  disbelieves 
and  calls  in  question  the  truth  of  the  divine  testimony  made 
kjjown  in  the  proposition  aforementioned.  That  he  does  so, 
evidently  appears  by  his  not  crediting  it,  so  as  to  rest  his  hope 
of  salvation  wholly  upon  the  promise  of  God,  and  the  record 
which  he  has  given  of  his  Son,  in  the  Gospel."  p.  14,  15. 

Stop  now,  candid  reader,  arid  critically  examine  these 
words  :  "  He  disbelieves  the  divine  testimony,"  says  he.  But 
why?  because  "  he  does  not  rest  his  hope  of  salvation  who!-. 


REFINED  ANTiNOMIAMSM.  103 

iy  upon  the  promise  of  God."     But  pray,  what  promise  I 
Why  this,  "  he  that  believeth  shall  be  saved."      Which  is  so 
"  frequently  repeated  in  the  Gospel."     He  that  believeth ! 
that  believeth  what !  pray,  what  is  the  sinner  to  believe  ?   he 
is  to  believe  "  his  own  particular  salvation  ;"  to  "  believe  that 
he  shall  be  saved."     But  is  this  the  meaning  of  the  text  ?  In- 
deed no.     That  proposition  is  not  once  used  in  this  sense  in 
the  bible.     The  Gospel  no  where  declares,  that  he  that  be- 
lieveth he  shall  be  saved,  shall  be  savtd  :  but  very  many  times 
expressly  to  the  contrary.     The  thing  believed  is  a  lie.      But 
to  believe  a  lie,  is  not  to  believe  in  Christ ;  unless  they  make 
this  lie,  that  very  Christ  on  which  they  venture  their  all  for 
eternity.     Read  the  bible  through,  O  impenitent,  unconvert- 
ed, Christless  sinner,  and  you  may  find  enough  such  declara- 
tions as  these  :  repent  and  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  for  the  remission  of  sins  ;  repent  and  be  converted  that 
thy  sins  may  be  blotted  out ;  except  ye  repent  ye  shall  ptrish  ; 
repent,  and  believe  the    Gospel ;  believe  in   the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shall  be  saved ;  and  these  declarations  are  all 
true  before  you  believe  them,  and  whether  you  believe  them 
or  not.     But  you  can  no  where  find  any  thing  like  this,  be- 
lieve thy  sins  are  forgiven,  and  they  ahall  be  forgiven  ;  believe 
thou  shaft  be  saved,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.     In  this  case, 
what  you  believe  is  not  true  before  you  believe  it,   as  they 
themselves  grant.     And  believing  a  lie,  though  it  may  make 
it  seem  true  to  you,  yet  it  will  not  make  it  in  fact  true. 

Pray,  who  is  he  that  believes  the  divine  testimony  ?  He  that 
believes  the  very  thing  God  means  to  say  ;  or  he  that  puts  a 
new  meaning  to  God's  words,  which  God  never  intended, 
and  which  never  came  into  his  heart  ?  May  we  not  say  of 
these  men,  as  our  Saviour  did  of  the  Pharisees  ;  by  your  tra- 
ditions yon  make  the  command  of  God  of  none  effect  ?  So  by 
their  faith  they  make  the  declarations  of  the  Gospel  a  lie. 
The  Gospel  declares,  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  a II perish  :  re- 
pent and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out.  But 
these  men  teach,  that  if  an  impenitent  unconverted  sinner, 
while  such,  believes  his  sins  are  blotted  out,  they  are  blotted 
out.  That  is,  if  he  believes  a  thing  to  be  true,  which  is  di- 
rectly contrary  to  the  declaration  of  the  Gospel,  it  shall  be- 


104  A  BLOW  AT  THE  ROOT    OF 

come  true.    And  so  his  faith  shall  cause  the,  declaration  of  the 
Gospel  to  btcome  a  lie. 

Besides,  O  Christless  sinner,  what  warrant  have  you  to  be- 
lieve that  your  sins  are  forgiven  ?  Is  it  already  true  ?  No.  But 
does  "  the  Gospel  propose  any  thing  to  be  believed  by  us,  but 
what  is  infallibly  true,  whether  we  believe  it  or  not?"  Mr. 
Wilson  himself  is  obliged  to  say,  No.  But  then  says, "  the 
Gospel  warrants  you  to  believe,  what  it  does  not  propose  to 
you  to  be  believed.''  But  is  not  this  an  express  contradiction? 
No,  says  Mr.  Wilson.  For  "  the  promise  of  the  Gospel  can- 
not be  believedj  but  in  believing  that  they  shall  be  saved 
through  his  blood."  As  if  he  had  said,  the  promise  cannot  be 
believed,  but  in  believing  what  the  promise  does  not  say. — 
For  the  promise  does  not  say  that  you  in  particular  shall  be 
saved;  or  that  you  shall  be  saved,  if  you  believe  you  shall 
be  saved.  So  that  here  is  another  self-contradiction  ;  viz.  A 
promise  cannot  be  believed,  but  in  believing  what  is  not  con- 
tained in  the  promise. 

But,  says  Mr.  Wilson,  "  if  a  man  offers  me  a  gift  freely,  I 
have  certainly  a  warrant  to  receive  it,  and  in  receiving  it,  to 
believe  it  mine.''  p.  18.  That  is,  conscious  to  myself  that  I 
do  receive  it,  I  have  good  evidence  to  believe  it  is  mine. 
And  in  this  case,  it  is  mine,  in  order  of  nature,  before  I  believe 
it  mine.  And  so  what  I  believe,  is  true  before  I  believe  it. 
And  so  this  similitude  is  nothing  to  the  purpose,  nor  does  it  at 
all  help  to  reconcile  to  common  sense,  their  "  strange  kind  of 
assurance,  which  is  far  different  from  other  ordinary  kinds.'' 
For  they  believe  Christ  is  theirs  without  any  consciousness  that 
they  receive  him.  p.  123.  And  constantly  affirm,  that  that 
assurance  of  an  interest  in  Christ,  which  results  merely  from  a 
consciousness  of  any  inherent  grace,  is  altogether  popish. 

But  no  man  can  believe  the  Gospel,  who  does  not  believe 
his  sins  are  pardoned,  in  Mr.  Wilson's  judgment,  p.  14.  133, 
&c.  &c.  And  yet  he  knowsfand  he  owns,  that  this  fact  is  not 
revealed  in  the  Gospel.  Yea,  he  says,  "  it  is  not  proposed  in 
the  Gospel  to  be  believed  by  us."  p.  14.  And  yet  no  man, 
he  says,  can  believe  the  Gospel,  who  does  not  believe  it.  An 
express  contradiction  again.  Mr.  Wilson  grants  a  man  may 
have  saving  faith,  and  yet  not  know  that  it  is  saving,  p.  123- 


11KFINED    ANTINOMIANISM.  10? 

Marg.  But  he  would  have  a  sinner  believe  his  sins  are  par- 
doned, previous  to  one  single  thought  that  he  has  saving 
faith,  p.  123.  But  in  this  case  it  must  be  "  without  any  evi- 
dence of  the  thing."  However,  he  disbelieves  the  Gospel  if 
he  does  not  believe  it,  although  there  is  no  such  thing  in  the 
Gospel.  "  A  strange  kind  of  assurance !" 

But,  says  Mr.  Wilson,  "  the  stung  Israelites,  inlooking  to 
the  brazen  serpent,  had  every  one  of  them  good  reason  to 
believe,  and  fully  assure  himself,  that  he  in  particular  should 
be  healed."  And  why  ?  plainly  because  every  Israelite, 
while  conscious  to  himself  that  he  is  looking,  must  be  cer- 
tain of  a  cure.  And  just  thus  any  sinner,  who  is  conscious 
to  himself  that  he  looks  to  Christ  as  he  is  invited  to  do,  may 
be  as  certain  of  a  cure.  But  in  Mr.  Wilson's  "  strange  kind 
of  assurance,"  we  must  be  certain  of  a  cure  without  any  such 
consciousness,  p.  123.  It  is  popish,  he  constantly  cries,  to 
get  assurance  from  this  consciousness.  But  had  a  stung 
Israelite  looked  to  the  brazen  serpent,  without  being  at  the 
same  time  conscious  to  himself  that  he  did  look,  he  could 
not  have  been  assured  of  a  cure,  notwithstanding  his  belief  of 
the  divine  declaration,  that  whosoever  looks  shall  be  healed. 

But  Mr.  Wilson  will  again  say,  "  had  not  the  Israelites  a 
good  warrant  to  take  and  eat  the  manna  which  lay  around 
their  tents  ?  and  has  not  every  sinner  as  good  a  right  to  take 
Christ,  the  bread  of  life,  and  eat  and  live  for  ever  ?"  p.  31. 
Had  the  Israelites  loathed  the  manna  so  perfectly,  as  abso- 
lutely to  refuse  to  gather  and  eat  it  ;  and  in  their  hunger,  set 
themselves  to  work  up  a  belief  that  their  bellies  were  full, 
without  any  consciousness  of  the  thing,  it  might  have  been 
to  Mr.  Wilson's  purpose.  But  what  was  there  in  all  their 
conduct,  at  all  resembling  Mr.  Wilson's  faith  ?  They  gather- 
ed the  manna,  they  made  cakes  of  it,  they  eat,  they  were  re- 
freshed, and  they  were  conscious  to  themselves  of  all  that 
passed.  Here  was  no  assurance  worked  up  "  without  any  evi- 
dence from  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason."  Here  was  no  be- 
lieving any  thing  to  be  true,  but  what  was  true  before  it  was 
believed.  Here  was  nothing  but  what  was  perfectly  ration- 
al. In  short,  here  was  nothing  like  these  men's  notion 
of  faith,  not  the  least  shadow  of  a  resemblance.  Nor  indeed 

VOL.  ITT.  14 


100  A  BLOW   AT  THE  HOOT   OI- 

there  is  in  all  nature  any  thing  to  resemble  their  faith,  un- 
less among  those  who  are  delirious,  who  very  often  believe 
strongly  things  to  be  true  which  would  have  no  truth  in 
them  it  they  did  not  believe  them.  But  then  even  the  most 
delirious  man  alive,  never  attempted  to  act  so  distractedly  as 
to  try  to  believe  that  to  be  true,  which  he  knew  as  yet  was 
not  true.  This  is  peculiar  to  these  men,  and  there  is  nothing 
like  it  in  the  universe.  For,  as  honest  Mr.  Marshall  says, 
"this  is  a  strange  kind  of  assurance,  far  different  from  other 
ordinary  kinds."  To  hunt  about  therefore  for  similitudes  tore- 
present  it,  is  quite  out  of  character.  But  the  men  are  shock- 
ed to  see  their  scheme  staik  naked  ;  and  therefore  these  si- 
militudes, like  fig-leaves,  are  gathered  to  hide  its  nakedness  ; 
but  all  in  vain. 

Thus  we  have  a  specimen  of  Mr.  Wilson's  manner  of  rea- 
soning, to  vindicate  our  believing  that  to  be  true  which  is 
not  true,  from  the  declarations,  offers,  and  promises  of  the 
Gospel.  He  repeats  much  the  same  things  perhaps  200 
times  over  in  his  two  volumes.  And  when  all  is  said  and 
done,  it  comes  to  this : — "  God  has,  in  fact,  no  where  in  his 
word  declared  that  my  sins  are  forgiven  ;  however,  1  must 
beiieve  they  are  forgiven,  or  I  do  not  believe  the  word  of  God. 
It  is  not  true  before  I  believe  it,  but  absolutely  false ;  yet  I 
have  a  good  warrant  to  believe  it  is  true,  although  I  have  no 
evidence  of  the  thing  from  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason.  In  re- 
ceiving a  gift,  1  know  it  is  mine;  but  if  this  knowledge  arises 
from  a  consciousness  that  I  receive  if,  I  am  a  papist."  So 
absurd,  so  self-contradictory  is  his  whole  course  of  reasoning. 
And  yet  he  pretends  to  have  all  the  bible,  and  all  the  protes- 
tant  world  on  his  side.  And  no  man  can  be  saved,  who  is 
destitute  of  this  unscriptural,  irrational,  inconsistent,  self-con- 
tradictory thing,  which  he  calls  by  the  sacred  name  of  faith 
in  Christ.  But  let  us  proceed  to  another  argument,  which, 
like  the  former,  is  repeated  over  and  over  again,  and  scatter- 
ed along  through  his  whole  performance. 

Arg.  2.  From  the  nature  of  reliance  on  Christ's  righteous- 
ness. Perhaps  this  argument  is  stated  and  urged  no  where 
to  so  good  advantage,  as  in  p.  15,  1 6,  17.  It  will  not  be  de- 
nied, that  the  Gospel  declares  Christ  to  be  an  all-sufficient 


KEFINEH  ANTINOMIANISM.  10? 

Saviour,  and  bears  testimony  to  his  righteousness  as  every 
way  sufficient  for  the  justification  of  the  most  guilty  sinner. 
If  one  approaching  lo  a  frozen  lake  or  river,  over  which  he 
has  occasion  to  pass,  tells  me  that  he  has  been  assured  by 
good  information,,  that  (he  ice  was  sufficiently  strong  to  sup- 
port  him  ;  and  yet,  after  all  proves  timorous  and  adverse  to 
make  trial  by  venturing  his  person  freely  upon  it :  I  plainly 
perceive  lie  has  no  faith  in  the  report  he  heard  ;  because  he 
does  not  trust  in  it;  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  he  cannot 
trust,  rely,  confide  in,  or  venture  himself  on  the  ice. — None 
can  be  said  to  believe  the  report  of  the  Gospel  concerning 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  but  those  who,  without  being  con- 
scious of  any  personal  merit  or  good  qualification  about  them- 
selves, rely  firmly  and  wholly  upon  that  righteousness  for 
justification  and  salvation.  And  it  is  equally  certain,  that 
such  a  firm  reliance,  or  fiducial  recumbancy  upon  the  righte- 
ousness of  Christ  revealed  in  the  Gospel,  must  in  the  very  na- 
ture of  the  thing,  imply  the  faith  of  one's  own  justification 
and  salvation  through  this  righteousness.  For  a  man  to  ven- 
ture himself,  and  all  his  most  valuable  interests,  upon  a  bot- 
tom that  he  doubts  is  weak  and  insufficient  to  support  him, 
would  be  the  greatest  folly  imaginable ;  yet  this  he  must  do, 
who  pretends  to  rely  wholly  upon  Christ  and  his  righteous- 
ness for  justification  and  salvation,  and  yet  hath  not  the  faith 
of  his  own  salvation. — If  a  man  has  been  assured  by  good 
information,  that  the  ice  of  any  frozen  lake  or  river  he  has 
occasion  to  pass  over,  is  sufficiently  strong  to  support  him  ; 
and  yet  is  timorous,  and  doubts  whether  he  will  be  safe  if  he 
should  venture  upon  it ;  it  is  plain  he  does  not  confide  in,  or 
give  credit  to  the  report  he  heard  ;  for  if  he  did,  he  would  be 
as  much  assured  of  his  own  safety,  as  of  the  tiuth  of  the  re- 
port, or  the  veracity  of  him  that  made  it.  The  application  is 
easy.  Upon  the  whole,  it  is  evident,  that  till  a  man  believes, 
and  is  in  some  measure  assured  of  /«"$  own  justification  and 
salvation  through  the  righteousness  and  blood  of  Christ,  he 
never  truly  believes  the  report  of  the  Gospel,  or  the  divine 
testimony  concerning  the  same.  Let  the  reader  then  judge 
whether  there  is  any  truth  or  sense  in  asserting,  that  the  hear- 
ers of  the  Gospel,  have  no  warrant  to  believe  any  thing  bnt 


108  A  BLOW  AT  THK  ROOT  OF 

what  is  infallibly  true  whether  they  believe  it  or  not.'' — To 
which,  I  answer, 

1.  It  is  written,  He  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who 
come  to  God  by  kirn.    I  hear  the  report,  I  understand  it,  I  be- 
lieve it  with  all  my  heart;  and  in  the  belief  of  it,  I  come  to 
God  by  Christ  for  salvation.     I  am  conscious  to  myself  I  do 
so.     And  so  I  believe  I  shall  be  saved.    But  what  I  believe  is 
true  before  I  believe  it,  and  whether  I  believe  it  or  not.     For 
he  who  comes  to  God  by  Christ,  shall  be  saved,  whatever 
doubts  he  may  have  of  his  good  estate.     And  here  is  nothing 
believed   but  upon  good  evidence.     And  nothing  like  their 
"  strange  kind  of  assurance,"  which  is  worked  up  "  without 
any  evidence  of  the  thing."   As  Mr.  Marshall  honestly  states 
the  case. For, 

2.  On  their  scheme  they  believe  they  shall  be  saved  with- 
out any  consciousness  of  their  coming  to  God  by  Christ,  as 
Mr.  Wilson  declares  over  and  over  again,  p.  102.  123.  They 
believe  their  sins  are  forgiven,  without  any  consciousness  of 
repentance,  conversion,  or  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ.     They 
believe  they  shall  have  a  safe  passage  over  the  lake,  without 
any  consciousness  of  venturing  or  walking  on  it.     And  so 
they  believe  something  to  be  true,  which  in  fact  is  not  true  ; 
and  which  at  the  day  of  judgment  will  be  found  to  be  a  lie. 

Come,  candid  reader,  come  go  with  me,  to  the  side  of  a 
frozen  lake  :  view  the  ice  with  your  own  eyes,  and  behold 
and  see  it  is  full  ten  feet  thick.  And  will  not  this  bear  the 
weight  of  a  single  man  r  Yea,  will  it  not  bear  the  weight  of 
a  thousand  men  ?  You  therefore  cannot  doubt  of  the  safety 
of  venturing  upon  it,  "  without  rebelling  against  the  light  of 
your  reason,  senses,  and  conscience."  And  if  you  venture 
upon  it,  it  is  equally  evident  you  will  be  safe.  "  You  are  con- 
strained to  believe  it  by  the  clearest  evidence."  Ii  is  true 
before  you  believe  it.  You  are  certain  it  is  true  from  "  the 
clearest  evidence."  You  are  then  at  the  furthest  distance  from 
any  thing  like  their  faith,  nor  have  you  the  least  occasion 
to  work  up  yourself  to  believe  any  thing  "  which  is  not  true 
before  you  believe  it,  without  any  evidence  of  the  thing."  So, 

Come,  O  enlightened  sinner,  whose  eyes  are  opened  to  see 
the  whole  Gospel  pl.in  in  its  glory  :  Come,  view  this  way  of 


REFINED  ANTINOMJANISM.  109 

salvation  with  your  own  eyes.  See  God  the  Father,  the  infi- 
nitely glorious  Mnjesty  of  heaven  and  earth,  to  magnify  his 
law  which  this  revolted  world  all  join  to  hate,  and  to  con- 
demn sin,  which  this  apostate  world  all  join  to  justify  ;  even 
see  him  set  forth  his  own  Son,  of  equal  glory  with  himself, 
to  be  a  propitiation,  to  declare  his  righteousness,  that  consist- 
ently with  the  honour  of  his  government  he  may  pardon 
the  penitent  sinner  that  conies  to  him  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
and  looks  only  to  free  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is 
in  Jesus.  View  the  infinite  dignity  of  the  Mediator;  view 
his  mediatorial  character,  office,  and  work  ;  see  how  he  has, 
in  his  life  and  death,  magnified  the  law  and  made  it  honour- 
able ;  see  the  eternal  Father,  how  infinitely  well  pleased  he  is^ 

in  what  his  Son  has  done.     He  raises  him  from  the  dead  • 

•> 

sets  him  at  his  own  right  band ;  repentance  and  remission  of 
fins  are  proclaimed  to  a  guilty  world  in  his  name;  and  the 
cry  is,  repent  and  be  converted  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted 
out.  Can  there  be  a  doubt  now  whether  it  is  safe  to  venture 
your  all  opon  this  Mediator,  and  return  to  God  in  his  name  ? 
Infinitely  hateful,  odious,  and  ill-deserving  as  you  are  !  im- 
possible !  So  sure  as  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  Messiah  ;  so 
sure  as  he  died  on  the  cross,  and  now  reigns  at  his  Father's 
right  hand  ;  even  so  sure  and  certain  it  is,  that  it  is  safe  for  a 
sinner,  for  the  greatest  sinner,  for  any  sinner,  to  repent  and 
come  to  God  in  his  NAME.  "  Are  you  not  constrained  to  be- 
lieve this,  by  the  clearest  evidence  ?"  And  is  it  not  equally 
certain,  that  if  you  repent,  and  come  to  God  in  the  name  of 
Christ,  venturing  your  all  for  eternity  wholly  and  entirely  up- 
on his  atonement,  righteousness,  and  merits,  and  the  infinitely 
free  grace  of  God  through  him,  as  revealed  in  the  Gospel ; 
that  you  shall  be  safe,  eternally  safe  ?  And  therefore,  in  ex- 
act proportion  as  you  are  conscious  of  these  things,  you  may 
be  certain  of  your  own  safety  in  particular.  Nor  have  you 
any  need,  or  any  manner  of  occasion,  to  believe  any  thing  to 
be  true  which  is  not  true ;  or  to  believe  without  evidence. 
Nay,  you  are  set  at  the  greatest  distance  from  this  kind  of 
blind  faith.  But  on  the  other  hand, 

What  course  for  comfort,  can  an  impenitent,  unconverted, 
Christless  sinner,  while  such,  blind  to  the  glory  of  God,  to 


A  BLOW    AT  THE   ROOT  OF 

the  beauty  of  his  law,  and  to  the  glory  and  all-sufficiency  of 
Christ,  take  ?  If  he  will  believe  his  sins  are  jorgiven,  when  in 
fact  they  are  not  forgiven  ;  and  he  knows  in  his  conscience 
they  are  not ;  he  must  "  believe  without  any  evidence  of  the 
thing."  And  to  call  ih\s faith  in  Christ ;  to  call  this  trust- 
ing wholly  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  is  to  put  darkness 
for  light;  and  to  substitute  in  the  room  of  Christ,  a  he,  and 
nothing  but  a  lie,  as  the  sole  object  of  their  faith. 

Arg.  3.  From  the  nature  of  that  faith  which  was  required 
of  the  Israelites ;  and  for  the  want  of  which  they  could  not 
enter  into  the  land  of  Canaan.  "  When  God  gave  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  a  promise  of  entering  into  the  land  of  Canaan," 
says  Mr.  Wilson,  I  presume  "  it  will  not  be  denied,  that  they 
had  not  only  a  warrant,  but  that  it  was  their  indispensable  du- 
ty to  believe  that  he  would  bring  them  to  the  possession  of 
it,  notwithstanding  the  difficulties  they  might  have  to  encoun- 
ter by  the  way  ;  yet  it  cannot  be  said  it  was  infallibly  true 
that  they  should  enter  into  the  promised  land  whether  they 
believed  or  not ;  for  the  event  proved  the  contrary.  It  is 
evident  then,  that  they  were  called  to  believe  something  that 
was  not  infallibly  true,  whether  they  believed  it  or  not."  p.  18, 
19.  "This  is  equally  true  of  the  promise  of  the  Gospel  made 
to  sinners,  of  mankind  indefinitely."  p.  23.  For  "  God  hath 
given  to  all  who  hear  the  Gospel,  a  promise  of  entering  into 
his  rest  of  heaven  ;  which  gives  every  one  of  them  sufficient 
warrant  to  believe  that  he  shall  be  saved."  p.  23,  24.  "  This 
promise  is  the  first  and  immediate  foundation  of  faith.  It  is 
only  by  an  appropriating  and  fiducial  persuasion  thereof,  that 
any  one  can  commence  a  true  believer  of  the  Gospel,  or  at- 
tain to  any  certain  knowledge  of  his  eternal  election."  p.  25. 
However,  the  thing  to  be  believed  is  not  true  before  they  be- 
lieve it,  and  never  will  be  true  unless  they  do  believe  it.  p. 
18 — 26.  And  therefore  he  concludes,  that  in  justifying  faith 
we  believe  that  to  be  true  wfiich  is  not  true  before  we  believe 
it.  To  this  I  answer, 

1.  The  promise  which  God  made  to  Abraham,  and  con- 
firmed by  an  oath,  in  Gen.  xxii.  16.  referred  to  Num.  xiv. 
30.  (for  God  never  did  confirm  by  an  oath  his  promise  to 
that  congregation  who  came  out  of  Egypt ;  there  is  no  such 


REFINED  ANTINOM1AN1SM.  Ill 

thing  on  Scripture  record.  Therefore  Num.  xiv.  3O.  has  re- 
feirnce  to  Gen.  xxii.  16.)  1  say,  the  promise  which  God 
made  to  Abraham,  and  confirmed  by  an  oath,  in  Gen.  xxiii 
16.  to  give  the  land  of  Canaan  to  his  seed,  was  uncondition- 
al and  absolute.  And  by  it  God  obliged  himself  to  give 
Abraham  a  seed,  and  in  due  time,  in  spite  of  all  obstacles, 
whether  from  their  own  temper  or  the  opposition  of  others, 
lo  bring  them  to,  and  put  them  in  possession  of  the  land  of 
Canaan.  And  had  God  by  any  means  eventually  failed  of 
doing  this  thing,  he  would  have  been  chargeable  with  the 
breach  of  that  promise  which  he  made  to  Abraham. 

Now  this  absolute  promise  to  Abraham,  was  a  shadow  of 
that  absolute  promise  which  God  the  Father  made  to  his  Son, 
on  his  uudertaking  to  offer  up  himself  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins 
of  men  ;  that  he  should  see  his  seed  and  prolong  his  days; 
that  he  should  see  tht  travail  of  his  sow/,  and  be  satisfied. 
Isai.  liii.  Bv  which  promise  the  Father  absolutely  obliged 
himself,  that  all  Christ's  seed  should  finally  be  brought  to  the 
heavenly  Canaan,  notwithstanding  all  opposition  from  their 
own  hearts,  and  from  every  other  quarter.  And  if  by  any 
means  any  one  of  Christ's  seed  should  finally  perish,  God 
would  be  chargeable  with  a  breach  of  that  promise  made  to 
his  Son. 

But  as  St.  Paul  reasons,  Rom.  ix.  6.  All  are  not  Israel 
which  are  of  Israel ;  so  not  all  the  seed  of  Abraham,  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh,  had  an  interest  in  the  absolute  promise  of  the 
earthly  Canaan,  in  the  sense  in  which  God  originally  intend- 
ed it,  and  in  the  sense  in  which  he  afterwards  explained  it. 
For  Ishmael,  who  was  a  child  of  Abraham,  was  first  cast 
off.  And  afterwards  Esau  was  rejected.  And  afterwards 
six  hundred  thousand  were  cast  off  at  once.  And  all  in 
perfect  consistence  with  the  divine  promise  to  Abraham. 
Nor  was  there,  as  Mr.  Wilson  insinuates,  the  least  show  or 
appearance  of  any  breach  of  promise.  This  was  merely  the 
impious  and  blasphemous  construction  the  wicked  Israelites 
put  upon  the  divine  conduct.  For  by  an  appropriating  act 
oj  faith,  exactly  of  the  same  nature  with  that  Mr.  Wilson 
pleads  tor,  they  had  been  fully  persuaded,  that  they  in  parti- 
cular should  come  to  the  land  of  Canaan.  And  therefore. 


112  A   BLOW  AT  THE  ROOT  OF 

on  their  disappointment,  were  ready  to  charge  God  with  a 
breach  of  promise.  Num.  xiv.  3.  To  which  God,  in  great 
wrath,  says,  and  ye  shall  know  my  breach  of  promise.  As  if 
he  had  said,  "  This  is  what  you  impiously  charge  me  with. 
But,  unmoved  to  alter  iny  determination  by  your  impious 
charge,  in  the  wilderness  you  shall  die  :  and  if  you  call  this 
a  breach  of  promise,  you  shall  know  I  will  break  it  thus; 
for  assuredly  your  carcasses  shall  fall  in  the  wilderness.  And 
this  is  a  lively  type  of  the  final  doom  which  will  be  passed 
at  the  great  day,  on  all  impenitent  sinners,  who  by  an  appro- 
priating act  of  faith,  have  taken  all  the  promises  to  them- 
selves, while  in  fact  not  one  of  them  ever  belonged  to  them 
in  the  sense  in  which  they  imagined.  So  they  shall  know 
God's  breach  of  promise,  just  as  the  wicked  Israelites  did. 

2-  The  absolute  promise  of  the  land  of  Canaan  made  to 
Abraham,  had  no  respect  to  any  who  were  not  of  the  seed  of 
Abraham  according  to  the  flesh.  And  therefore,  unless  a 
man  could  produce  his  genealogy,  and  prove  himself  a  de- 
scendant of  Abraham,  he  could  by  that  promise,  claim  no 
right  or  share  in  the  land  of  Canaan  :  for  without  this,  all  the 
good  qualifications  in  the  world  would  be  no  weight  to  give 
a  man  a  right  to  an  inheritance  in  that  land. 

So  the  absolute  promise  of  the  heavenly  Canaan  made  to 
Christ,  has  no  respect  to  any  but  those  who  are  Christ's  seed: 
those  who  are  in  Christ.  And  therefore,  unless  a  professed 
Christian  can  produce  good  proof  that  he  is  in  Christ,  he  can 
claim  no  title  to  heaven  by  virtue  of  that  absolute  promise.  Our 
own  righteousness,  in  this  case,  can  give  no  title  at  all.  But  if 
ye  be  Christ's,  then  arc  ye  Abraham's  setd,and  heirs  according 
to  the  promise.  Gal.  iii.  29. 

When,  therefore,  any  man  who  is  unconscious  that  he  is 
united  to  Christ  by  faith,  is  bold  to  put  in  a  claim  to  the  hea- 
venly Canaan,  he  is  guilty  of  the  grossest  presumption,  and 
has  no  evidence  to  support  -his  claim  "  from  Scripture,  sense, 
or  reason." 

3.  God's  promise  in  Exod.  iii.  17-  made  to  that  congrega- 
tion which  died  in  the  wilderness,  of  brin^in^  them  to  the 

O         O 

land  of  Canaan,  was  not  an  absolute,  but  a  conditional  promise, 
as  is  plain  beyond  all  dispute  from  Numb,  xxxii.  6 — 15. 


REFINED    ANT1NOMIANISM.  113 

which  the  reader  is  desired  to  turn  to.  And  indeed  the  con- 
ditions, although  not  expressed  in  that  promise,  Exod.  iii.  J7. 
were  plainly  implied  in  the  very  nature  of  the  thing.  For  if 
they  should,  from  an  attachment  to  the  pleasures  and  man- 
ners of  Egypt,  and  from  a  mean  and  low  opinion  of  the  land 
of  Canaan,  or  from  a  distrust  of  the  divine  power  and  fideli- 
ty to  conduct  them  safely  thither,  decline,  and  finally  refuse 
to  march  for  Canaan  ;  or  if  after  they  set  out  on  their  jour- 
ney, repent  they  ever  entered  on  the  expedition,  and  desire 
to  go  back  again  ;  neither  they,  nor  any  mortal  else,  would 
have  had  any  reason  to  imagine,  that  God  was  obliged  by 
that  promise  he  made  to  them  in  Exod.  iii.  17.  to  bring  them 
there.  God's  promise,  then,  to  bring  that  congregation  to 
Canaan,  left  him  at  full  liberty  to  kill  them  by  hundreds  and 
thousands,  if  they  rebelled  against  the  Lord,  instead  of  cor- 
dially falling  in  with  his  proposal;  yea,  to  doom  all  their  car- 
casses to  fall  in  the  wilderness.  It  is  absolutely  certain,  by 

the  divine  conduct,  that  God  viewed  it  in  this  light. And 

therefore, 

They  had  no  warrant,  not  one  single  soul  of  them,  to  be- 
lieve absolutely,  when  they  left  Egypt,  that  they  should  come 
to  Canaan.  It  is  certain  Moses  understood  the  matter  thus, 
from  Numb,  xxxii.  6 — 15.  JSor  had  they  any  warrant  to  be- 
lieve any  further  than  this,  viz.  that  if  they  would  cordially 
fall  in  with  the  divine  proposal,  and  from  their  inmost  soul 
bid  an  everlasting  farewell  to  all  the  manners  and  pleasures 
of  Egypt,  set  their  whole  hearts  on  the  holy  land,  enlist  un- 
der the  banner  of  the  God  of  Abraham,  cleave  to  him  with 
all  their  hearts,  march  after  him,  trust  his  wisdom,  sufficien- 
cy, and  fidelity,  to  conduct  them  thither,  his  power  to  over- 
come all  obstacles,  and  so  courageously  march  after  him  in- 
to the  holy  land,  and  fight  under  him  against  the  seven  na- 
tions of  Canaan,  and  persevere  till  they  had  obtained  a  com- 
plete victory ;  then,  and  in  this  way,  and  in  no  other,  might 
they  expect  to  come  to  the  possession  of  that  good  land. 
He  therefore,  who  found  within  himself  an  heart  prepared 
and  disposed  to  all  this,  might  reasonably  expect  to  arrive  to 
a  possession  of  that  good  land.  Unless  for  special  and  wise 
reasons,  God  should  think  fit,  instead  of  the  earthly,  to  givo 
vo  L.  in.  !.*» 


114  A    BLOW  AT  THE  HOOT  OF 

him  an  inheritance  in  the  heavenly  Canaan.  And  therefore, 
if  the  wicked  Israelites,  when  they  came  out  of  Egypt,  far, 
very  far,  from  such  a  temper  and  disposition,  did  confidently 
believe  they  should  come  to  the  promised  land,  they  had,  in 
fact,  no  warrant  for  their  belief.  Nor  did  God  hold  himself 
obliged  to  order  things  so  that  it  should  be  unto  them  ac- 
cording to  their  faith  ;  but  thought  himself  at  full  liberty  to 
lead  them  into  such  trying  circumstances,  as  should  effectual- 
ly discover  their  unbelief,  enmity  against  God,  attachment 
to  Egypt,  low  thoughts  of  Canaan  ;  all  which  were  consistent 
with  that  appropriating  belief  they  had  when  they  left  Egypt, 
that  they  should  get  to  Canaan.  And  when  their  hearts 
were  thus  discovered,  God  held  himself  at  liberty,  notwith- 
standing any  promise  he  had  made  to  them,  to  doom  them 
all  to  death. 

And  just  so  it  is  in  the  present  case.  The  Gospel  promises 
eternal  life,  absolutely  and  unconditionally  to  no  child  of 
Adam  :  nor  has  any  child  of  Adam  any  warrant  to  believe 
absolutely  and  unconditionally,  that  he  shall  be  saved.  But 
the  Gospel  brings  the  news  of  the  glories  of  the  heavenly 
Canaan,  where  God  the  supreme  good  is  to  be  for  ever  en- 
joyed, and  represents  to  our  view  an  almighty  Saviour  and 
Conductor ;  invites  us  to  sell  all  for  the  pearl  of  great  price; 
from  our  inmost  soul  bid  an  eternal  farewell  to  the  pleasures 
and  manners  of  Egypt ;  lay  up  all  our  treasures  and  hopes  in 
heaven,  deny  ourselves,  take  up  our  cross  and  follow  Christ 
to  the  end  of  our  lives,  placing  our  whole  dependence  on  the 
merits  of  his  blood,  and  the  influences  of  his  spirit ;  and  pro- 
mises that  all  such  shall  finally  arrive  safe  to  the  heavenly 
Canaan  :  but  denounces  damnation  against  all  the  rest.  He 
then  who  is  conscious  that  he  has  such  an  heart  in  him,  may 
expect  to  see  that  good  land.  But  if  any,  unconscious  of 
this,  firmly  believe  they  shall  assuredly  inherit  eternal  life, 
iheir  faith  is  absolutely  "  Without  any  evidence  from  Scrip- 
ture, sense,  or  reason  ;"  just  as  Mr.  Marshall  says.  And  they 
may  depend  upon  it,  that  God  does  not  hold  himself  obliged, 
that  according  to  their  faith  so  shall  it  be  to  them.  For  if 
men  will  believe  things  which  God  never  promised,  he  is  not 
obliged  to  answer  their  presumptuous  expectations,  how 


KEF1NEH  ANTINOMIAN1SM.  1]$ 

much  soever  they  may  pervert  his  word  to  make  themselves 
believe  that  he  is.  It' they  will  affirm,  that  although  it  is  not 
true  before  they  helieve  it,  yet  if  they  believe  it  is  true,  k 
will  become  true ;  still  God  never  said  so.  God  never  en- 
joined this  kind  of  faith,  nor  will  he  ever  answer  the  expecta- 
tions it  begets. 

The  Israelites  could  not  enter  in,  because  of  unbelief.  Spi- 
ritual blindness  is  the  source  of  unbelief.  2  Cor.  iv.  3,  4. 
They  were  blind  to  the  being  and  perfections  of  God.  They 
did  not  see  that  the  God  of  Abraham  was  an  absolutely  per- 
fect, an  infinitely  glorious  and  amiable  Being  ;  the  supreme 
all-sufficient  good,  infinitely  worthy  of  supreme  love,  and  the 
most  entire  confidence,  trust,  and  dependance.  Rather  they 
entertained  a  low  idea  of  God.  And  hence  when  things  looked 
dark,  and  they  come  to  a  pinch,  it  appeared  that  they  did 
not  think  in  their  hearts  that  he  was  a  Being  fit  to  be  believed 
and  trusted. — And  so  they  did  not  think  in  their  hearts,  that 
if  they  should  venture  to  take  his  word  and  march  after  him 
to  Canaan,  that  it  would  end  well.  Their  walls  were  built  up 
to  heaven,  and  the  sons  of  Anak  were  there.  And  therefore 
they  were  heartily  sorry  they  had  ever  left  Egypt,  and  wish- 
ed themselves  back  again  ;  they  magnified  the  glory  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  and  spake  contemptibly  of  the  land  of  Canaan ; 
they  blasphemed  God,  and  were  on  the  point  of  stoning 
Caleb  and  Joshua.  Thus  they  could  not  enter  in  because  of 
unbelief;  i.  e.  of  their  unbelief  of  those  things  which  were 
true  whether  they  believed  them  or  not.  For  God  was  an 
absolutely  perfect  Being,  fit  to  be  believed  and  trusted. — And 
if  they  had  believed  him  to  be  such,  and  in  that  belief 
ventured  to  trust  him,  and  march  after  him  to  Canaan,  it 
would  have  ended  well.  These  things  were  true,  whether 
they  believed  them  or  no.  And  there  was  sufficient  evidence 
of  their  truth.  And  it  was  this  that  rendered  their  unbelief 
so  criminal.  Whereas  had  these  things  not  been  true,  but 
false;  had  they  known  they  were  false,  they  could  not  have 
been  at  all  to  blame  for  their  unbelief.  And  God  never  did, 
and  never  will,  blame  his  creatures  for  unbelief,  when  he 
knows,  and  they  know,  that  there  is  no  evidence  from  Scrip- 
ture, sense,  or  reason,  that  the  things  to  be  believed  are  true. 


]  16  A    BLOW    AT    THE    ROOT    OF 

Arg.  4.  From  those  words,  in  Mark.  xi.  23,  24.  "  Whoso- 
ever shall  say  unto  this  mountain,  be  thou  removed,  and  be  thou 
cast  into  the  sea,  and  shall  not  donbt  in  his  heart,  but  shall  be- 
lieve that  those  things  which  he  saith  shall  come  to  pass,  he 
shall  have  whoatsoever  he  saith.  Therefore,  I  say  unto  you, 
what  things  soever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  re- 
ceive them,  and  ye  shall  have  them.  From  these  words  it  is 
plain/'  says  Mr.  Wilson,  "  that  men  may  have  sufficient  war- 
rant to  believe  some  things  which  cannot  be  said  to  be  in- 
fallibly true,  whether  they  believe  them  or  not."  p.  27. 
To  which  I  answer, 

1 .  That  the  faith  here  spoken  of,  is  the  faith  of  miracles. 
And  it  was  true  before  they  believed  it;  that  if  they  were  at  any 
time  inspired  by  immediate  revelation,  to  declare  that  such  a 
particular  miracle  should   be  wrought,  it   should  be   done. 
When  therefore  the  immediate  suggestion  of  the  divine  spirit 
came  into  their  minds,  prompting  them  to  declare  that  a  par- 
ticular miraculous  event  should  happen,  they  had  from  that 
and  from  the  promise  of  Christ,  full  evidence  to  believe  that 
it  would  be  done  on  their  declaration.     And  on  this  ground 
Peter  had  a  good  warrant  to  say  to  the  lame  man,  in  Acts 
iii.   Rise  up  and  walk :  and  full  evidence  before  he  spake, 
to  believe  that  on  his  speaking  the  man  would  be  healed. 
And  so  again  here  was  nothing  like  their  "  strange  kind   of 
assurance,  without  any  evidence  of  the  thing." 

2.  But  if  any  are  disposed  to  understand  the  promise  in  the 
24th  verse,  in  a  larger  latitude,  to  respect  all   the  prayers  of 
true  saints ;  Whatsoever  thing  ye  desire  zohen  ye  pray,  believe 
that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them ;  yet  even  then 
the  words  will  not  prove  that  we  ought  to  believe  that  to  be 
true  which  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it.  For  it  is  true  before 
we  believe  it,  that  whatsoever  we  ask  the  Father,  in  Christ's 
name,  agreeable  to  God's  will,  shall  be  given  to  us,  Mat.  vii.  7, 
8,9,  10,  1 1.  John  xvi.23,  24.  When  therefore  any  onedesires, 
and  is  conscious  to  himself,  that  he  has  an  heart  to  ask  the 
offered  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  in   the  name  of  Christ,  he 
cannot  but  know,  if  he  believes  the  Gospel  to  be  true,   that 
he  shall  have  them.     For  he  is  "  constrained  to  believe  it,  by 
the  clearest  evidence."     For  he  has  the  express  promise  of 


REFINED  ANTINOM1ANISM.  117 

Christ  in  the  case.     As  if  I  should  say  to  my  child,  "  when- 
ever you  want  bread,  ask  me  for  it,  and  you  shall  have  it. 
I  will  never  fail  in  any  one  instance  to  give  it  to  you.     You 
may  therefore  come  in  the  full  assurance  of  faith,  nothing 
doubting  but  that  you  shall  receive  it.     For  this  I  establish 
as  an  invariable  rule  by  which  1  will  conduct   towards  you  ; 
Viz.  Ask    and  ye   shall   receive ;   seek   and   yt   shall  Jind. 
When  therefore  you  want  bread,  and  have  a  heart  to  ask  it 
in  the  manner  you  know  1  would  have  you,  you  may  know 
before  you  ask  that  you  shall  receive.     And  so  you  may  ask, 
believing  you  shall  receive,  and  you  shall  have  it."     And  now 
again,  in  all  this,  there  is  nothing  like  their  "  strange  kind 
of  assurance ;"  nothing  like  believing  "  without  any  evidence 
of  the  thing;"  and  believing  "that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true 
before  we  believe  it."     For  it  is  true  whether  we  believe  it 
or  not,  that  whatsoever  we  ask  in  Christ's  name  shall  be  given 
us.     And  we  have  the  highest  evidence  of  the  thing.     What 
it  is  to  ask  in  Christ's  name,  has  been  already  shown.  (Essay, 
Sect.  IV.  and  V.) 

3.  In  order  to  make  this  text  serve  the  purpose  of  support- 
ing their  scheme,  it  must  be  understood  thus  :  "  O,  Christless, 
impenitent,  unconverted  sinner,  who  art  in  an  unpardoned 
state,  under  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God,  impenitent  as  thou 
art,  believe  thy  sins  are  forgiven,  and  they  shall  be  forgiven.  I 
do  not  say  as  Peter  did,  repent  and  be  converted,  that  thy  sins 
may  be  blotted  out.  But  I  say,  impenitent  as  thou  art,  and  certain 
as  thou  art,  of  thine  impenitency,  without  any  evidence  of  the 
thing,  from  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason,  believe  thy  sinsare  blot- 
ted out,  and  it  shall  be  unto  thee  according  to  thy  faith.  For 
although  it  is  not  true  before  thou  believest  it,  in  believing  it 
to  be  true  it  shall  become  true.  Believe  therefore  thy  sins  arc 
forgiven,  and  they  shall  be  forgiven."  This  is  the  spirit  and 
soul  of  that  evangelical  preaching  in  fashion  with  these  men. 
See  p.  102.  123.  J75,  &c.— But  neither  that  text  in  Mark, 
nor  any  other  in  the  bible,  gives  the  least  countenance  to  their 
scheme. 

Thus  we  have  taken  a  view  of  the  arguments  which  Mr. 
Wilson  uses  to  prove,  that  in  justifying  faith  "we  believe 
that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it."  And 


A  BLOW  AT  THE  ROOT  OF 

thus  we  have  finished  what  was  at  first  proposed.  And  his 
scheme,  in  contrast  with  that  of  the  gross  Antinomians,  stands 
thus  : 

Gross  Antinomianism,  and  refined  Antinomianism,  agree 
in  asserting,  that  in  justifying  faith  we  believe  that  our  sins 
are  forgiven,  and  that  God  is  reconciled  to  us. 

Gross  Antinomians  assert,  1.  That  the  elect  are  justified  be- 
fore faith.  2.  That  their  justification  is  manifested  to  them  by  the 
spirit  or  God.  3.  In  consequence  of  which,  they  believe  they 
are  justified.  4.  This  belief  pacifies  their  consciences,  and  is 
the  source  of  every  religious  affection. 

Refined  Antinomians,  assert,  1.  That  before  faith,  the  elect 
as  well  as  others,  are  under  the  wrath  of  God  and  curse  of 
the  law.  2.  That  yet  in  faith  they  believe  God  loves  them, 
and  they  are  delivered  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  3.  And  be- 
cause this  is  not  true  before  it  is  believed,  therefore  they  be- 
lieve it  without  any  evidence  of  the  thing.  4.  This  belief  pa- 
cifies the  conscience,  and  is  the  source  of  every  religious  af- 
fection. Now, 

If  the  elect  are  not  justified  before  faith,  the  gross  Antino- 
mian  scheme  is  fundamentally  false. — And, 

If  in  justifying  faith,  we  are  not  to  believe  that  to  be  true 
which  is  not  ture  before  we  believe  it,  the  refined  Antinomian 
scheme  is  also  fundamentally  false. 

The  fact  believed  on  both  schemes  is  the  same,  viz.  that 
an  impenitent,  unconverted,  Christless  sinner,  is  justified. 
And  a  belief  of  this  fact  on  both  schemes  produces  the  same 
effects,  viz.  pacifies  the  conscience,  and  is  the  source  of  all 
their  religion.  And  both  schemes  grant  that  this  fact  is  not 
revealed  in  the  bible.  But  one  vindicates  his  belief  by 
saying,  the  elect  are  justified  before  faith,  and  have  their 
justification  immediately  revealed  to  them  by  the  spirit  of  God. 
And  the  other  by  saying,  we  are  commanded  by  God  to  believe 
that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true  before  we  believe  it,  and  to 
believe  without  any  evidence  of  the  thing,  and  God  stands 
obliged  that  our  faith  shall  not  be  disappointed. 

We  have  heard  how  the  celebrated  Mr.  Marshall  explains 
his  scheme  ;  and  we  have  considered  what  Mr.  Wilson  has  to 
offer  in  its  defence.  And  the  controversy  is  brought  into  a 


EEFINED  ANTINOMIANISM.  11Q 

narrow  compass,  to  one  single  point,  viz.  whether  in  justify- 
ing faith  we  believe  that  to  be  true  which  is  not  true  before 
we  believe  it.  And  it  is  brought  down  out  of  the  clouds,  and 
made  plain  and  easy  to  the  weakest  capacity,  and  every  one 
is  freely  left  to  judge  for  himself. 

If  after  all,  any  poor  bewildered  sinner  is  still  at  a  loss,  let 
him  take  his  bible  in  his  hand,  enter  into  his  closet,  fall  on. 
his  knees,  look  up  to  God  who  has  given  him  the  bible  to  be 
the  only  rule  of  his  faith,  and  say,  "  O  Lord,  thou  hast  given 
me  thy  holy  word  to  be  the  only  rule  of  my  faith  ;  and  is  it 
safe,  great  God,  for  me  to  venture  my  soul  for  eternity  in  the 
belief  of  that  which  all  acknowledge  is  not  revealed  in  thy 
holy  word  ?  If  every  truth  contained  in  that  sacred  book,  all 
which  are  true  before  they  are  believed,  join  to  declare  me  an 
unpardoned  sinner,  O  leave  me  not  to  quiet  my  conscience 
by  the  belief  of  that  which  is  not  revealed  there  !  O  suffer 
me  not  to  fly  from  the  unerring  word  of  my  final  Judge,  and 
take  refuge  in  a  lie  !  Rather  let  me  have  no  peace  than  a 
false  peace  !  O  lead  me  out  of  this  bewildered  state,  and 
give  me  an  heart  to  understand  and  believe  thy  holy  word, 
and  make  that  the  only  rule  of  my  faith,  of  thine  infinite 
mercy  through  Jesus  Christ."  Then  let  him  turn  to  read, 
and  well  consider  the  following  texts.  Mat.  vii.^21 — 27. 
Acts  iii.  19.  Luke  xiii.  3.  5.  Isai.  Iv.  7-  Prov.  xxviii.  13. 
Acts  xx.  21.  John  iii.  19,20.  G  Cor.  xi.  13,  14.  Luke  iv. 
9,  10,  II.  1  John  ii.  4. 


THAT  THERE  IS  BUT 

ONE    COVENANT, 

WHEREOF 

BAPTISM  AND  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  ARE  SEALS 

VII. 

THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE, 

PROVED  FROM  THE  WORD  OF  GOD; 

AND    THE    DOCTRINE    OF    AN 

EXTERNAL  GRACELESS  COVENANT, 

LATELY  ADVANCED  BY  THE  REV.  MR.  MOSES  MATHER, 
IN    A    PAMPHLET,    ENTITLED, 

THE  VISIBLE  CHURCH  IN  COVENANT  WITH  GOD,  &c. 

SHOWN    TO    BE    AN    UNSCRIPTURAL    DOCTRINE. 


But  unto  the  wicked  God  saith,  What  hast  thou  to  do  to  declare  my  statutes, 
or  that  thou  shouldst  take  my  covenant  in  thy  mouth  ?        PSALM  1.  16. 


VOL.  III.  16 


PREFACE. 

IF  we  may  judge  of  the  sentiments  of  ministers,  in  general, 
by  the  pieces  lately  published  on  this  controversy,  all  are 
agreed  in  these  three  propositions,  viz. 

I.  There  is  but  one  covenant,  a  profession   of  a  compliance 
with  which  is  requisite  to  an  admission  into  the  visible  church 
of  Christ,  in  complete  standing. 

II.  Those  who  really  comply  with  this  covtnant  have,  in  the 
sight  of  God,  an  equal  right  to  baptism  for  their  children,  and 
to  tht  Lord's  supper  for  thtmsclves. 

III.  All  scruples  to  the  contrary  are  groundless  and  un- 
scriptural. 

There  is,  therefore,  but  one  single  point  which  now  needs 
to  be  settled,  to  decide  the  whole  controversy,  viz.  With  what 
covenant  are  we  to  profess  a  compliance,  the  covenant  of  grace, 
or  a  graceless  covenant  ? 

And  this  point  is  of  such  a  nature,  that  it  seems  necessary 
to  settle  it  before  we  proceed  to  act  at  all  in  church  affairs ; 
in  gathering  a  church,  settling  a  minister,  admitting  mem- 
bers, or  administering  sealing  ordinances.  For  until  this  is 
settled,  we  know  not  upon  what  covenant  the  church  is  to 
be  formed,  nor  what  covenant  is  to  be  professed  by  those 
who  are  to  be  admitted,  nor  what  covenant  is  to  be  sealed  by 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  nor  what  covenant  the  minis- 
ter is  to  preach  up  and  hold  out  to  public  view,  as  the  thing 
to  be  complied  with  by  professors,  and  to  be  sealed  by  the  sa- 
craments. So  that  if  we  mean  to  proceed  like  rational  crea- 
tures, in  our  church-affairs,  we  must  look  this  matter  to  the 
bottom,  and  come  to  a  determination. 

To  say,  that  it  is  needless  to  determine  this  point,  is  the 
same  thing  as  to  say,  that  it  is  of  no  consequence  whether  our 
churches  are  founded  on  a  right  covenant,  or  on  a  wrong  one; 
or  whether  God's  seals  are  fixed  to  the  covenant  he  designed, 
or  to  a  covenant  to  which  he  never  intended  they  should  be 
affixed  ;  which  none  will  pretend  to  sa\  :  for,  if  it  is  of  no 
consequence  what  covenant  we  profess.,  nor  what  covenant 


124  PREFACE. 

we  seal,  a  right  one  or  a  wrong  one  ;  it  is  surely  of  no 
sequence  whether  we  profess  or  seal  any  covenant  at  all ; 
which  to  say,  is  to  tear  up  by  the  roots  all  notion  of  a  visible 
church  in  the  world.  But  to  set  aside  a  visible  church,  as  a 
needless  thing,  is  to  set  aside  Christianity,  as  an  imposture. 
There  must  be  Christian  churches ;  there  must  be  a  public 
profession  of  some  covenant  or  other;  there  must  be  seal- 
ing ordinances;  these  ordinances  must  be  administered  by 
the  ministers  of  Christ  to  the  proper  subjects  ;  it  must  be  de- 
termined who  they  are  ;  it  must,  therefore,  be  determined  on 
what  covenant  churches  are  to  be  formed,  and  what  covenant 
is  to  be  preached  up,  professed,  and  sealed.  It  is  a  contro- 
versy, which  no  honest  man,  who  means  to  have  any  thing 
to  do  in  church  affairs,  can  let  alone,  as  a  mere  circumstan- 
tial point.  Much  less  can  those,  who  are  already  in  the  min- 
istry, or  are  about  to  settle  in  that  work,  consistently  content 
themselves  to  proceed  without  any  settled  scheme  at  all ;  un- 
less all  they  aim  at  is  to  live  a  quiet  life,  right  or  wrong  j 
which  is  what  none  will  profess  to  do. 

Our  churches  were  originally  founded  on  a  profession  of  a 
compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  at  least  generally. 
And  indeed,  1  know  not  of  one  church  in  New-England,  of 
our  denomination,  which  is  now  otherwise  founded,  if  we 
may  judge  of  their  foundation  by  the  words  of  the  covenant 
which  is  read  to  those  who  are  admitted  to  full  communion. 
So  far  as  1  know,  the  formulas  in  use  express  the  chief  things 
contained  in  the  covenant  of  grace  :  a  That  they  avouch  the 
Lord  to  be  their  God  and  chief  good,  and  give  up  themselves 
to  him,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  live  to  him  and  seek  his  glo- 
ry." And  therefore,  should  we  be  convinced  that  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  is  not  the  covenant  with  which  the  church  of 
Christ  ought  to  profess  a  compliance,  there  ought  to  be  an  al- 
teration in  our  formulas.  For,  as  they  stand  at  present,  they 
tend  to  lead  all  persons  "whose  consciences  are  awake,  to 
think  they  ought  to  be  converted,  before  they  make  a  profes- 
sion of  religion,  and  join  in  full  communion  with  the  church. 
For,  such  do  not  think  it  right  to  profess  a  compliance  with 
the  covenant  of  grace,  when  they  know  they  have  no  grace. 
JN»r  do  they  think  it  consistent  with  moral  honesty,  to  give 


PREFACE.  1£5 

their  consent  to  the  covenant  in  a  sense  different  from  its  plain 
and  natural  sense.  There  is  a  necessity,  therefore,  if  the 
covenant  of  grace  is  not  the  coverfant  which  ought  to  be  en- 
tered into,  to  call  our  churches  together,  to  point  out  to  them 
plainly  this  fundamental  error  in  their  constitution,  and  to 
lead  them  to  vote  out  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  to  vote  in  a 
graceless  covenant,  in  order  to  open  a  wide  and  effectual  door 
to  let  ungodly  men,  as  such,  into  our  churches.  And  in  this 
method,  may  be  adopted  regularly  the  new  scheme  advanc- 
ed b^  the  Rev.  Mr.  Moses  Mather,  an  ingenious  writer,  in  his 
piece  lately  published,  entitled,  "  The  visible  church  in  cove- 
nant with  God,"  &c. 

This  author  has  offered  this  doctrine  of  an  external  grace-, 
hss  covenant  to  public  consideration,  as  taught  in  the  word  of 
God,  and  as  the  only  consistent  plan  on  which  the  visible 
church  can  be  founded,  and  infant  baptism  vindicated.  He 
had  no  desire,  it  may  be  presumed,  that  his  scheme  should  be 
received  by  our  churches  without  examination.  The  strictest 
scrutiny  cannot  hurt  the  truth.  The  truth,  like  the  sun,  can 
bear  to  be  looked  upon,  without  any  diminution  of  its  lustre. 
A  glow-worm  is  in  danger  of  losing  its  brightness,  if  the  light 
of  day  shines  around  it.  This  maybe  the  nature  of  error; 
but  the  truth  itself,  the  more  strictly  it  is  examined,  the  more 
will  it  appear  to  be  like  the  morning  light,  which  shines  more 
end  mnrt  to  the  perfect  day. 

Our  confession  of  faith,  and  plan  of  church  discipline,  have 
determined  for  "  the  covenant  of  grace,"  declaring  that 
"  sacraments  are  holy  signs  and  seals  of  the  covenant  of 
grace  *;"  and  for  the  necessity  of  a  profession  of  a  "  cordial 
subjection  to  Jesus  Christ."  But  these  are  not  the  word  of 
God.  Mr.  Mather  undertakes  to  prove  his  doctrine  from 
the  word  of  God.  And  we  ought,  with  the  utmost  readiness, 
to  give  up  all  human  composures,  when  found  inconsistent 
with  the  word  of  God.  He  appeals  to  Scripture  :  we  join  in 
the  appeal ;  and  let  him  that  rcadeth,  understand. 

Bethlem,  June  15,  1769. 

o  See  Con.  Faith,  chap.  27. 


SECTION.  I. 

The  nature  of  Mr.  M.'s  external,  graceless  covenant,  its  differ- 
ence from  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  a  general  view  of  the 
subject. 

BY  the  covenant  of  grace,  Mr.  M.  means,  that  covenant 
with  which  every  true  believer  complies  in  the  exercise  of  re- 
pentance towards  God  and  faith  towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  vhich  promises  pardon  and  eternal  life  to  all  who  com- 
ply with  it.  Or  to  use  his  own  words,  "  a  sure  promise  of 
eternal  life,  to  all  such  as  with  a  true  heart  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ  "  p.  4.  And  in  this  we  are  agreed.  But  he  maintains, 
that  this  is  not  the  covenant,  a  compliance  with  which  is  to 
be  publicly  professed  by  any  of  the  followers  of  Christ,  when 
they  join  in  full  communion  with  the  church.  It  is  a  chief 
design  of  this  piece  to  prove  this  point.  And  in  this  we  dif- 
fer. 

By  the  external  covenant,  he  means,  not  the  covenant  of 
grace,  externally  entered  into  by  a  public  profession  of  a 
compliance  with  it,  which  is  what  some  divines  have  meant 
by  the  phrase  ;  but  a  covenant  specifically  different  from  the 
covenant  of  grace.  It  differs  from  it  in  three  things,  l.  The 
covenant  of  grace  requires  holiness,  a  hol>  faith,  a  holy  re- 
pentance, a  holy  obedience :  the  external  covenant  requires 
no  holiness  at  all.  2.  The  covenant  of  grace  is  complied 
with  by  none  but  the  regenerate,  in  the  exercise  of  holiness: 
the  external  covenant  may  be  complied  with  b)  theunregene- 
rate,  by  those  that  have  no  grace.  3.  The  covenant  of  grace 
promises  eternal  life  :  the  external  covenant  promises  no  such 
thing;  but  leaves  those  who  comply  with  it,  and  do  no  more, 
under  the  sentence  of  the  divine  law,  to  eternal  death.  This 
appears  through  the  whole  performance.  We  maintain  that 
there  is  no  such  covenant ;  he  endeavours  to  prove  that  this 
is  the  only  covenant,  a  compliance  with  which  was  professed 
by  Abraham,  by  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  and  by  the 
apostolic  converts,  when  they  entered  visibly  into  covenant 
with  God,  and  became  members  of  God's  visible  church  ;  as 


THE  NATURE  OF,  &C.  IS? 

will  be  plain  to  any  one  that  reads  his  book.  We  affirm  'hat 
a  profession  of  a  compliance  with  this  covenant  God  never 
required  of  any  man. 

There  is  a  covenant  of  grace,  indeed,  according  to  Mr.  M. 
which  promises  eternal  life  to  the  true  believer,  to  which  this 
external  covenant,  he  says,  serves  as  means  to  the  end.  p.  9.  But 
a  compliance  with  this  covenant  of  grace  never  was  required, 
and  never  was  professed,  in  order  to  sealing  ordinances,  un- 
der the  Old  Testament  or  the  New ;  for  the  seals  were  not  de- 
signed primarily  to  be  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  but  of 
a  graceless  covenant,  with  which  graceless  men  may  comply 
in  the  sight  of  God,  while  such.     And  so  there  is  no  need  of 
a  compliance   with  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  order  to  a  con- 
sistent attendance  on   sealing  ordinances,     p.  36,  37.     As 
graceless  men  may  comply  with  this  graceless  covenant ;  so 
they  may  consistently  be  active  in  sealing  it.  And  so  there  is 
not  the  least  need  of  our  being  born  again,  or  the  least  occa- 
sion of  a  profession  of  godliness,  or  making  any  pretence  of 
love  to  God  or  Christ,  or  to  vital  piety,  in  order  to  a  regular 
admission  into  the  church  of  Christ.     We  need  not  be  saints 
in  reality,  or  in  profession  ;  in  the  sight  of  God,  or  in  the 
sight  of  men,  no  such  thing  is   required  :  no  such  thing  is 
pretended.     For  "  the  external  covenant  does  not  respect  a 
gracious  state  of  heart,  as  the  qualification  requisite  to  a  per- 
son's entering  into  it."     p.  22    A  church  of  Chritt,  therefore, 
is  a  congregation  in  which  there  is  no  visible  profession  made 
of  real  Christianity  ;  i.  e.  of  friendship  to  Christ,  or  of  Chris- 
tian grace,  or  of  any  thing  but  what  i$  consistent  with  a  state 
of  total  enmity  to  God  and  Chritt,  and  to  all  spiritual  good. 
This  is  Mr.  M.'s  idea  of  a  visible  church  ;  and  any  higher  pro- 
fession he  thinks  of  very  bad  tendency,     p.  51,  52,  53. 

If  the  least  spark  of  grace  is  required  in  the  external  cove- 
nant, ur  if  the  least  spark  of  grace  is  professed  invisibly  en- 
tering into  it,  then  the  man  that  knows  he  has  no  grace,  but 
is  dead  in  sin,  cannot  make  a  profession,  and  Mr.  M.'s  end  is 
frustrated,  which  was  to  open  a  wide  and  effectual  door  for 
such  as  know  themselves  to  be  ungodly,  to  join  in  full  com- 
munion with  the  church. 


1.23  THE  NATURE  OF  MR.  M.'s 

And  if  this  external  covenant  does  not  require  the  least  de- 
gree of  grace  or  holiness;  then   it  requires  nothing  but  un- 
gracious, unholy,  sinful  performance,  (for  Mr.  M.  will  not 
choose  to  say,  that  there  is  a  system  of  religious  volitions,  affec- 
tions, and  actions,  which  are  neither  virtuous  nor  vicious,  nei- 
ther holy  nor  sinful ;  neither  conformable  to  the  holy  nature 
and    law   of  God,  nor   unconformable ;    for  this  would   be 
to  suppose  that  the  divine    Jaw  is   not   a  universal  rule  of 
life.)  So  that,  although  Abraham  and  all  Abraham's  spiri- 
tual  seed,   when   they    first    comply   with    the  covenant  of 
grace,   exercise    real    holiness,  and  live  in   the  exercise  of 
holiness   through    the   course    of  their   lives,    agreeable    to 
our  Saviour's   character  of  them,  in   Mat.  vii.  24.  and  at- 
tend  the  means  of  grace  in  a  holy  manner,  (Mat.  xiii.  8.) 
and  even  hate  and  abhor  that  impenitent,  self-righteous,  sin- 
ful manner  in  which  all  the  ungodly  attend  them,  (Frov.  xv. 
8.)  yet  when   they  come  to  make  a  public  profession,  they 
are  to  covenant  and  promise  to  attend  all  means  in  no  better 
wanner  than   that  in    which  impenitent,  self-righteous  sin- 
ners do.     For  they  are  publicly  to  profess  and  promise  no- 
thing but  a  compliance  with  the  external  covenant  :  and  the 
external  covenant  requires  nothing  more.     And  having  made 
this  ungodly  profession,  and  by  covenant  bound  themselves  to 
attend  all  means  of  grace  in  this  manner,  they  set  to  it  God's 
appointed  seal ;   and  this  unholy  covenant  the  most  holy 
Christian  is  to  renew  and  seal  every  time  he  comes  to  the 
table  of  the  Lord  till  he  dies  ;  but  how  this  can  possibly  be 
done  with  a  good  conscience,  Mr.  M.  has  not  yet  told  us  b. 

b  The  external  covenant  is  a  graceless  covenant,  suited  to  the  hearts  of 
graceless  men.  Therefore  to  be  in  heart  conformed  to  the  external  covenant,  is 
to  have  a  heart  destitute  of  grace.  Every  true  convert  therefore  renounces  the 
external  covenant  in  his  heart  at  the  time  of  his  conversion,  and  complies  with  the 
covenant  of  grace.  Nor  can  he  ever  go  hack  to  the  external  covenant  in  his 
heart  without  falling  from  grace.  So  that  if  Abraham  was  in  the  covenant  of 
grace  before,  as  Mr.  M.  says  he  was,  p.  8.  then  he  fell  from  grace  when  he  en- 
tered into  the  external  covenant.  And  if  by  sealing  the  external  covenant  he 
obliged  himself  to  conform  to  it  as  long  as  he  lived,  he  did  thereby  bind  himself 
to  continue  unconverted  till  death.  But  the  covenant  with  Abraham  was  an 
everlasting  covenant.  Gen.  xvii.  7.  To  which  Abraham  was  obliged  to  conform 
in  heart  and  life  as  long  as  he  lived. 


EXTERNAL  GRACELESS  COVENANT.  129 

Thus  we  have  taken  a  brief  and  general  view  of  Mr.  M.'s 
scheme  of  an  external  graceless  covenant.  J  think  I  under- 
stand him  right.  But  if  any  of  his  admirers  should  say  this 
is  not  his  scheme,  but  the  external  covenant  requires  real  holi- 
ness, and  the  public  profession  is  to  be  accordingly  a  pro- 
fession of  godliness,  then  those  who  know  themselves  to  be 
unconverted,  are  as  much  shut  out  from  full  communion  in 
the  visible  church  on  his  scheme,  as  on  the  scheme  of  our 
forefathers ;  which  Dr.  Increase  Mather  affirmed  to  be  the 
scheme  of  protestants  in  general,  in  opposition  to  papists. 
"  I  do  readily  acknowledge,"  says  he,  "  that  as  it  is  only  a 
justifying  faith  which  giveth  right  to  baptism  before  God  ;  so 
it  is  the  profession,  or  visibility  of  this  faith,  that  giveth  right 
thereunto  before  the  church.  Some  have  maintained  that  a 
dogmatical  historical  faith,  or  faith  of  assent  to  the  truth  of 
the  Giospel,  doth  entitle  to  baptism.  But  the  common  pro- 
testant  doctrine  against  the  papists,  speaketh  otherwise  c.l> 

But  the  question  now  before  us  is  not,  what  was  the  doc- 
trine of  protestants  or  papists  ?  but  a  question  much  more  in- 
teresting, viz.  What  is  the  doctrine  of  the  bible?  the  only 
book  we  are  obliged  to  believe  and  obey  on  pain  of  God's 
eternal  wrath.  And  the  question  is,  what  is  God's  covenant, 
which  is  to  be  professed  and  sealed ;  a  gracious,  or  an  un- 
gracious covenant?  What  was  the  Abrahamic  covenant; 
and  what  the  covenant  into  which  the  Israelites  professed  to 
enter  in  the  wilderness  ?  and  what  is  that  covenant  revealed 
in  the  Gospel,  of  which  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are 
seals,  an  holy  covenant,  or  an  unholy  one? 

But  before  we  enter  on  the  subject,  it  may  not  be  improper 
to  observe,  that  Mr,  M.  has  given  up  the  grounds  on  which 
Mr.  Jonathan  Dickinson,  and  after  him  Mr.  Peter  Clark, 
vindicated  infant  baptism,  viz.  That  the  covenant  with  Abra- 
ham was  the  covenant  of  grace.  See  Mr.  Clark's  Defence  of 
Infant  Baptism,  ch.iv.  in  which  the  covenant  with  Abraham 
is  proved  to  be  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  and  Or.  Gill's  objec- 
tions in  his  piece  against  Mr.  Dickinson,  some  of  them  the 
same  with  Mr.  Mather's,  are  answered.  And  Mr.  M.  endea- 

f  Discourse  concerning  the  subject  of  Baptism,  p.  5-2. 
VOL.    HI.  17 


130          THE  COVENANT  WITH  ABRAHAM 

vours  to  lay  a  new  foundation  for  infant  baptism,  perhaps 
never  before  laid  by  any  writer  on  that  subject,  viz.  An  ex- 
ternal graceless  covenant ;  and  what  the  effect  among  com- 
mon people  will  be,  if  they  shall  see  Mr.  M.'s  external  cove- 
nant proved  to  be  a  mere  non-entity,  cannot  yet  be  known. 
But  if  any  are  shaken  in  their  belief  of  infant  baptism,  when 
they  find  Mr.  M.'s  foundation  give  wavjunder  them, they  ought 
to  remember,  that  the  defenders  of  infant  baptism  have  not 
built  their  arguments  on  this  foundation,  but  always  on  a 
supposition  that  the  covenant  with  Abraham  was  the  cove- 
nant of  grace. 

Thus  Mr.  Bostwick,  late  minister  of  the  presbyterian  church 
in  New-York,  in  his  Vindication  of  Infant  Baptism,  p.  19.  says, 
"  The  covenant  made  with  Abraham  was  a  covenant  of  grace, 
and  the  same  for  substance  that  is  now  in  force  under  the  Gos- 
pel. This  I  look  upon  to  be  the  grand  turning  point  on 
which  the  issue  of  the  controversy  very  much  depends  ;  for 
if  Abraham's  covenant,  which  included  his  infant  children, 
and  gave  them  a  right  to  circumcision,  was  not  the  covenant 
of  grace,  then  I  freely  confess  that  the  main  ground  on 
which  we  assert  the  right  of  infants  to  baptism,  is  taken 
away  ;  and  consequently,  the  principal  arguments  in  support 
of  the  doctrine  are  overturned." 


SECTION  II. 

The  covenant  with  Abraham  was  a  holy  covenant,  and  could 
not  bt  really  complied  with  but  in  the  exercise  ofrealhotimss. 

SHOULD  a  dispute  arise  concerning  the  contents  of  any  co- 
venant between  two  of  our  neighbours,  what  way  would  com- 
mon sense  teach  all  impartial  men  to  advise  them  to  take,  in 
grder  to  settle  the  controversy  ?  Would  they  not  say,  "  come, 
neighbours,  no  more  dispute  about  this  matter,  bring  out  the 
writing,  let  us  read  it,  and  see  with  our  own  eyes  how  the 
bond  runs  ?" 

Now  these  are  the  contents  of  the  covenant  with  Abraham, 
in  Gen.  xii.  where  it  is  first  of  all  mentioned  ;  "  Now  the 


WAS  A  HOLY  COVENANT.  131 

Lord  had  said  unto  Abram,  get  thee  out  of  thy  country,  and 
from  thy  kindred,  and  from  thy  father's  house,  unto  a  land 
that  I  will  show  thee.  And  1  will  make  of  thee  a  great  na- 
tion, and  I  will  bless  thee,  and  make  thy  name  great ;  and 
thou  shall  be  a  blessing.  And  I  will  bless  them  that  bless 
thee,  and  curse  him  that  curseth  thee  ;  and  in  thee  shall  all 
thejami/ies  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  And  was  this  a  grace- 
less covenant,  or  the  very  Gospel  of  Christ?  Hear  \\hat  an 
inspired  apostle  saith,  Gal.  iii.  8.  And  the  Scripture  foreseeing 
that  God  would  justify  the  heathen  through  faith,  preached  be- 
fore the  Gospel  unto  Abraham,  saying,  IN  TWEE  SHALL  ALL 
NATIONS  BE  BLESSED.  And  in  Gen.  xii.  4.  follows  an  ac- 
count of  Abraham's  compliance.  So  Abram  departed,  as 
the  Lord  hud  spoken  unto  him.  He  did  not  merely  "  endea- 
vour," but  he  actually  complied.  And  was  this  done  in 
faith,  or  in  a  graceless  manner  ?  Take  the  answer  from  au 
inspired  writer.  Heb.  xi.  S.  I3y  FAITH  Abraham,  when  he 
was  called  to  go  out,  Sac.  obeyed.  Just  parallel  to  the  con- 
duct of  Christ's  true  disciple,  when  he  was  on  earth.  Mark.  ii. 
14.  And  he  said  unto  him,Jollow  me,  and  he  arose  and  follow- 
ed him. 

And  this  same  covenant  was  renewed  on  God's  part  in 
Gen.  xv.  5.  And  he.  brought  him  forth  abroad,  and  said,  look 
now  toward  heaven,  and  tell  the  start,  i/  thou  be  able  to  num- 
ber them.  And  he  said  unto  him,  so  shall  thy  sttd  be.  And  in 
ver.  6.  follows  Abraham's  compliance  ;  and  he  believed  in  the 
Lord.  And  the  very  next  words  determine  that  this  was  not 
Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  in  a  compliance  with  which  no 
man  is  justified,  and  that  Abraham's  faith  was  a  true  justify- 
ing, saving  faith  ;  and  he  counted  it  to  him  for  righteousness. 

And  in  chap.  xvii.  this  same  covenant  was  renewed  again 
with  this  additional  declaration,  lam  God  A /mighty,  abso- 
lutely all-sufficient.  For  he  had  before  said,  chap.  xv.  /  am 
thy  shield,  and  exceeding  great  reward ;  which  is  something 
of  a  higher  nature  than  what  is  promised  by  Mr.  M.'s  exter- 
nal covenant ;  yea,  it  is  added,  to  be  a  God  to  thee,  and  thy 
seed  after  thee*  In  consequence  of  which  he  was  called  the 
God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of'  Isaac,  and  the  Go  i  oj  Jacob  ; 
and  what  is  implied  in  this  we  may  learn  trom  Heb.  xi.  16. 


13S          THE  COVENANT  WITH  ABRAHAM 

Wherefore  God  z's  not  ashamed  to  bt  called  their  God ;  for  he 
hath  prepared  for  them  a  city.  Yea,  all  the  great  blessings  of 
the  Gospel  are  summed  up  in  one  promise,  llev.  xxi.  7.  lie 
that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things,  AND  I  WILL  BE  HIS 
GOD.  And  this  divine  injunction  was  added  at  this  season  of 
renewing  this  covenant,  walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perfect ; 
which  implied  a  life  of  real  holiness,  and  sincere  devotedness 
to  God. 

Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  requires  no  higher  kind  of 
faith  than  the  devil  has,  and  nothing  but  ungracious,  unholy 
obedience,  which  those  who  are  dead  in  sin  may  perform  : 
But  neither  this  faith  nor  this  obedience  were  the  faith  and 
obedience  of  Abraham.  Mr.  M.'s  covenant  requires  what 
James  calls  a  dead  faith,  by  which  no  man  can  be  justified  ; 
but  Abraham's  was  a  living  faith,  by  which  he  was  justified, 
and  by  which  all  others  will  be  justified  who  have  it.  And 
his  obedience  was  an  holy  obedience,  such  as  is  peculiar  to 
the  friends  of  God.  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  is  adapt- 
ed to  the  temper  and  state  of  the  unconverted,  requiring 
only  such  religious  exercises  as  may  take  place  in  them. 
But  Abraham  was  not  in  an  unconverted  state  ;  and  so  Mr. 
M.'s  external  covenant  was  not  adapted  to  the  temper  and 
state  in  which  he  was,  if  the  reader  will  be  at  the  pains  to 
take  his  bible  and  turn  to  Gen.  xii.  and  read  the  whole  his- 
tory of  Abraham's  life,  he  will  not  find  the  least,  hint  of 
more  than  one  covenant  with  Abraham ;  nor  was  one  un- 
holy duty  ever  required  at  his  hands  :  rather  on  the  contra- 
ry, these  were  the  express  words  of  God  Almighty  to  him, 
walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perftct*  If  therefore  we  judge 
of  the  nature  of  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  as  we  do  of  all 
other  written  covenants,  viz.  by  the  contents  of  the  written 
instrument,  there  is  no  room  to  doubt. 

And  now  this  covenant  being  thus  made,  and  thus  renew- 
ed from  time  to  time,  through  the  space  of  above  twenty 
years,  an  external  seal  was  at  length  by  GOD  appointed 
to.it.  For  circumcision  was  appointed  as  a  token  of  this 
very  covenant,  which  was  made  with  Abraham  before  he 
was  circumcised.  For  an  inspired  apostle  has  said  it.  Rom. 
iv.  9,  10,  11.  "  Cometh  this  blessedness,  (viz.  that  spoken  of  in 


WAS  A  HOLY   COVENANT.  13.') 

the  foregoing  verse,  '  blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord 
will  not  impute  sin/)  then  upon  the  circumcision  only,  or  upon 
the  unciicuincis.ion  also?  for  we  say,  that  faith  was  reckoned 
to  Abraham  for  righteousness.     How  was  it  then  reckoned  ? 
when  he  was  in  circumcision,  or  in  uncircumcision  ?  not  in  cir- 
cumcision, but  in  uncircumcition.     And  he  received  the  sign 
of  circumcision,  a  seal,  (not  of  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant, 
but)  of  the  righteousness  of  the  faith  which  he  had,  yet  being 
uncircumcised  ;  that  he  might  be  the   father,  (not  of  those 
graceless  men,  that  enter  into  Mr.  M.'s  graceless  covenant, 
but)  of  all  them  that  believe  ;  that  righteousness  might  be  im- 
puted to  them  also."     That  all  who  comply  with   that  cove- 
nant as  Abraham  did  himself,  might  be  justified  and  saved, 
as  he  was.     From  all  which  it  is  evident  that  that  covenant 
with  which  Abraham  visibty  complied,  when  in  obedience 
to   God's  call,   he  separated  himself  and   his   family  from 
the  idolatrous  world  to  worship  the  true  God  only,  and  to 
believe  in,  and  wait  for,  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  whose 
day  he  saic,  and  was  glad,  was  not  Mr.  M.'s  external  grace- 
less covenant,  by  which  no  man  can  be  justified  and  saved  ; 
but  the  coveoant  of  grace,  which  promises  eternal  life  to  those 
who  comply  with  it  ;for  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but 
of  the  living,  Mat.  xxii.  31,  32. ;  and  that  circumcision  was  a 
seal  of  this  very  covenant.  Which  were  the  points  to  be  proved. 
There  is  not  one  text  in  the  New  Testament  where  the  na- 
ture of  the  covenant  with  Abraham  is  pointed   out,  but  that 
it  is  spoken  of  as  the  covenant  of  grace;  for  it  is  always 
spoken  of  as  the  way,  and  as  the  only  way,  in  which  a  sin- 
ner can  be  justified.     Particularly,  read  the  fourth  chapter  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  and  the  3d  and  4ih  chapters  to 
the  Galatians,  and  this   will   appear  in   the  clearest   light. 
For  from  the  manner  in  which  Abraham  was  justified,  Paul 
illustrates  and  confirms  the  Gospel  way  of  justification.     For 
he  considers  Abraham  as  the  pattern,  and  teaches  that  all 
sinners  are  justified  in  the  same  way  in  which  he  was  ;  and 
in  this  sense  he  is  "  the  Father  of  many  nations,  as  he  is  the 
Father  of  all  that  believe."  Rom.  iv.  16,  17.  "  For  what  saith 
the  Scripture  ?  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  to 
him  for  righteousness."  Ver.  3.  "  Now  it  is  not  written  for  his 


134  THE  COVENANT  WITH  ABRAHAM 

sake  alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him ;  but  for  us  also,  to 
whom  it  shall  be  imputed  if  we  believe  on  him  that  raised  up 
Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead.*'     Ver.  23,  24.     "  Know  ye, 
therefore,  that  they  which  are  of  faith,  (who  are  true  believers,) 
the  same  are  the  children  of  Abraham."     Gal.  iii,  7-     "  And 
the  Scripture,  foreseeing  that  God  would  justify  the  heathen 
through  faith,  preached  before  the  Gospel  unto  Abraham, 
saying,  in  thee  shall  all  nations  be  blessed.     So  then  they 
which  are  of  faith,  (i.  e.  are  true  believers,)  are  blessed  with 
faithful  Abraham."  Ver.  8.  Q.  But  ver.  10.  "All  self-righteous 
sinners  are  under  the  curse  ;  for  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of 
the  law  are  under  the  curse."  But  ver.  15,  14.     "  Christ  hath 
redeemed  us  from  the  curse,  that  the  blessing  of  Abraham 
might  come  on  the  Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ;  that  we 
might  receive  the  promise  of  the  spirit  through  faith.     For  it 
is  the  peculiar  privilege  of  believers  to  have  the  spirit."  Rom. 
viii.  9-  "Ye  are  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  spirit,  if  so  be  that 
the  spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you.     Now  if  any  man  have   not 
the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his."     Gal.  iv.  6,  7-     "  Be- 
cause ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  spirit  of  his  Son 
into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father.  And  if  a  son,  then  an 
heir  of  God  through  Christ."     But  chap.  iii.  26.     "  Ye   are 
all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ."     Ver.  29. 
"And  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye'Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs 
according  to  the  promise."    For,  ver.  16.  "To  Abraham  and 
his  seed  were  the  promises  made.    He  saith  not,  and  to  seeds, 
as  of  many  ;  but  as  of  one,  and  to  thy  seed,  which  is  Christ. 
Therefore,  if  ye  are  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and 
heirs  according  to  the  promise." 

So  that  if  we  read  the  contents  of  the  written  instrument, 
as  it  is  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament,  or  consider  how  the 
inspired  writers  of  the  New,  understood  it,  nothing  can  be 
plainer  than  that  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  into  which 
the  believing  Gentiles  are  received  under  the  Gospel  dispen- 
sation, was  the  covenant  of  grace,  even  that  covenant  in 
which,  and  in  which  alone,  justification  and  eternal  life  are 
to  be  expected.  Nor  can  Mr.  M.  apply  these  texts  to  his 
external,  graceless  covenant,  without  perverting  the  word  of 
GOD  in  a  most  shocking  manner.  Yea,  if  these  texts  do  not 


WAS  A  HOLY     COVENANT.  155 

speak  of  the  covenant  of  grace  by  which  alone  sinners  are 
justified,  no  such  covenant  can  be  found  in  the  bible.  There 
was  no  other  covenant  revealed  to  Abraham  ;  and  Paul  knew 
of  no  way  of  justification  but  this.  We  have  as  much  evi- 
dence then  that  the  covenant  with  Abraham  was  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  as  we  have  that  there  ever  was  a  covenant  of 
grace  existing  since  the  world  began. — Now  observe, 

1.  From  the  nature  of  this  covenant  with  Abraham  we 
may  learn  the  nature  of  GOD'S  visible  church.     For  as  a 
real  compliance  with  this  covenant  renders  us  the  children  of' 
Abraham  indeed  ;  so  a  visible  compliance  with  it  renders  us 
visibly  the  childien  of  Abraham.     And  as  this  covenant  is 
but  one,  so  GOD'S  church  is  but  one;  according  to  that  ar- 
ticle in  the  apostle's  creed,  so  called,  "  I  believe  in  the  holy 
catholic  church."     There  is  but  one  good  olive-tree,  accord- 
ing to  St,  Paul.    Rom.  xi.    Were  there  two  covenants,  there 
would  be  two  churches,  two  olive-trees,  answerable  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  two  covenants.     But  the  bible  knows  of  but  one 
covenant  with  Abraham.     And  so  God's  church  is  compared 
to  one  good  olive-tree.      And  graceless  professors  are  com- 
pared to  dry  branches  in  this  one  good  olive-tree.     Whereas, 
on  Mr.  M.'s  plan,  the  visible  church  is  founded  on  a  grace- 
less covenant;  this  graceless  covenant  is  the  bond  of  union.  So 
the  olive-t/ee  itself,  root  and  branch,  is  dead  and  dry,  wholly 
graceless;  and  appears  to  be  so  ;  for  there  is  no  pretence  to  any 
thing  else.  Yea,  Mr.  M.  thinks  it  was  God's  design, that  his  real 
friends  should  keep  hid,  so  as  not  to  profess  their  friendship  to 
him  publicly  before  the  world :  and  so  that  God  should  have,  in 
this  sense,  no  visible  church  in  the  world,  p.  4y.    not  one 
open  friend  upon  earth.     But  Abraham   professed  to  be  a 
friend  to  God,  and  was  by  God  publicly  owned  as  such  be- 
fore the  world  ;  for  he  is  called  the  friend  of  God.     Jam.  ii. 
23. 

2.  We   may  also  learn  that  the  seal  of  the  covenant  of 
grace  may  with  propriety  be  applied  to  some  infants.     For  all 
will  allow  that  God  is  the  proper  judge  of  propriety  in  such  a 
ease.     And  all  grant  that  God  appointed  circumcision  to  be 
applied  to  some  infants.     And  therefore,  if  baptism  is  a  seal 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  yet  it  may  be  applied  to  some  in- 


130         THE  COVENANT  WITH  ABRAHAM 

fants;  provided  only  they  have  the  same  right  to  baptism 
that  the  children  of  Abraham  had  to  circumcision. 

3.  We  may  also  hence  learn  the  foundation  of  the  right 
of  believing  Gentiles  to  baptism  for  their  children.  For  if 
we  are  Christ's,  then  are  we  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  accord- 
ing to  tht  promise.  Gal.  iii.  29-  For,  'ij  some  of  the  branches 
be  broken  off,  and  thou  being  a  wild  olive,  wert  grafted  in 
amongst  them,  that  with  them  thou  partakest  of  the  root  and 
fatness  of  the  olive-tree.  Horn.  xi.  17.  But  from  the  very 
time  that  the  practice  of  grafting  in  Gentile  converts  into  the 
good  olive  took  place,  it  had  also  been  the  custom,  by  divine 
appointment,  to  put  the  seal  of  the  covenant  upon  the  chil- 
dren, as  well  as  upon  the  father.  Exod.  xii.  48 d. 

4.  It  is  self-evident  that  those  who  know   that  they  have 
no   grace,  cannot  understanding!^'  and    honestly   profess   a 
compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace.     But  the  covenant 
of  grace  is  that  covenant  upon  which  God's  visible  church  is 
founded.     Nor  is  it  lawful  to  apply  the  seals  of  this  covenant 
to  any  other  covenant,  of  a  nature  specifically  different,  devis- 
ed by  men. 

5.  For  any  church  to  lay  aside  the  covenant  of  grace,  and 
introduce  a  graceless  covenant  in  its  room,  is  so  far  forth  to 
unchurch  themselves:  i.e.  so  far  as  this  has  influence,  to 
render  themselves   not  a  visible  church  of  Christ ;  but  a  so- 
ciety, visibly  of  a. nature  essentially  different ;   as  different  as 

d  "  If  you  consider  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  \v-as  made  with  Abraham, 
and  by  God's  express  command  to  be  sealed  to  infants,  you  will  there  find  a  suf- 
ficient scripture  institution  for  infant  baptism.  You  will  find  this  covenant  in 
Gen.  xvii.  2 — 10.  Here  we  are  taught  as  plainly  as  words  can  teach  us,  that  this 
covenant  was  made  with  Abraham,  as  ha  was  the  father  of  many  nations,  the 
fal her  of  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the  Jews  j  that  this  covenant  was  s  covenant  of 
grace,  un  everlasting  covenant;  that  this  covenant  was  to  be  sealed  to  infants. 
From  all  which  it  undoubtedly  follows,  that  this  covenant  was  made  with  us  the 
seed  of  Abraham,  as  well  as  with  the  Jews ;  he  was  the  father  of  believers  in  our 
nations  as  well  as  theirs."  President  Dickinson's  Divine  Right  of  Infant  Baptism, 
p.  10.  Providence  Edition. 

And  this  learned  writer  adds,  p.  13.  "  That  this  covenant  was  a  covenant  of 
grace,  is  abundantly  evident  from  the  tenour  of  the  covemmt  itself ;"  as  he  gees 
on  to  show.  And,  p.  1 6.  "  This  then  is  the  sum  of  the  matter  :  Circumcision 
is  a  token  or  seal  of  the  covenant  of  gract; ;  Baptism  is  a  token  or  seal  of  the 
covenant  of  grace  :  it  therefore  follows,"  &c.  &c. 


WAS    A   HOLY  60VENANT.  137 

the  covenants  are.  But  it  is  time  to  attend  to  the  grand  ob- 
jection against  this  doctrine,  that  the  covenant  with  Abraham 
was  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  taken,  as  Mr.  M.  says,  "  from 
the  covenant  itself,"  Other  objections,  of  a  more  general 
nature,  shall  be  obviated  in  Sect.  VII.  It  may  be  thus  sum- 
med up. 

OBJ.  That  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  mentioned  Gen. 
17.  was  not  the  covenant  of  grace,  is  evident  not  only 
from  this,  that  he  was  in  the  covenant  of  grace  before;  but 
from  the  covenant  itself,  which  was  merely  "  an  external 
mark  in  the  flesh."  For  the  circumcision  of  the  flesh  was  the 
covenant :  as  it  is  written,  this  is  my  covenant.  But  circum- 
cision is  not  the  covenant  of  grace,  but  a  mere  external  mark 
which  may  be  put  upon  a  man  that  has  no  grace.  N ay,  cir- 
cumcision cannot  be  the  covenant  of  grace,  for  by  neglect- 
ing to  circumcise  a  child,  this  covenant  might  be  broken,  but 
there  is  no  falling  fro.m  grace.  Therefore  circumcision  is  not 
the  covenant  of  grace,  but  an  external  covenant  of  a  very 
different  nature,  p.  o,  6,  7>  8  c. 

e  The  reasor.s  which  induce  me  to  think  that  Mr.  M.  means  as  above,  are  these  : 
1.  Because,  speaking  of  the  external  covenant,  in  order  to  prove  that  it  is  not 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  to  show  the  difference,  he  says,  "  that  by  which  any 
ene  enters  into  this  covenant,  is  an  external  mark  in  the  flesh  ;  viz.  Circumcision  ; 
but  that  by  which  any  one  enters  into  the  covenant  of  grace,  is  the  circumcision 
of  the  heart."  p.  7.  By  entering  into  covenant,  he  means  complying  with  it. 
For  this  is  his  argument :  viz.  As  in  tke  circumcision  of  the  heart,  the  covenant 
of  grace  is  complied  with  ;  so  in  the  circumcision  of  the  flesh,  the  external  cove- 
nant is  complied  with  :  therefore  they  are  not  one  and  the  same  covenant,  but 
two,  of  a  nature  as  different  as  these  two  kinds  of  circumcisions.  2.  He  says,  p.  8. 
That  circumcision  was  a  compliance  with  the  external  covenant.  These  are  his 
words  :  "  This  covenant  appears  to  be  an  external  covenant,  in  that  although  a 
person  was  in  a  state  of  grace,  and  was  consequently  included  in  the  covenant  of 
grace,  yet  this  covenant  remained  to  be  complied  •»  ith.  Abraham  was  a  true  be- 
liever before,  yet  he  must  needs  be  circumcised."  Which  implies,  that  circumci- 
sion itself  was  a  compliance  with  the  external  covenant.  And  on  this  hypothe- 
sis, he  teaches,  that  baptism  which  comes  in  the  room  of  circumcision,  gives  a 
right  to  all  the  blessings  of  the  external  covenant ;  makes  us  "  Abraham's  seed, 
and  heirs  according  to  the  promise."  p.  12,  13.  Even  baptism  alone,  p.  16.  59. 
which  it  could  not  be  supposed  to  do,  were  it  not  supposed  to  be  the  only  condi- 
tion of  the  blessings,  i.  e.  the  only  thing  required  in  the  external  covenant,  neces- 
sary to  give  us  a  title  to  its  blessings.  So  that  we  have  beyond  doubt  Mr.  M.N 
true  meaning  in  the  objection  above,  however  inconsistent  it  is  with  some  other 
filings  in  his  book  ;  of  which  hereafter,  sect.  viii. 
VOL.  111.  18 


138         THE  COVENANT  WITH  ABRAHAM 

ANSW.  This  is  the  foundation  of  Mr.  M-.'s  scheme.  And 
perhaps  there  never  was  a  fabric  built  on  a  more  sandy 
foundation.  For  he  has  mistaken  the  external  seal  of  the 
covenant  for  the  covenant  itself.  Because  it  is  said,  this  is 
my  covenant,  he  at  once  concludes  that  circumcision  is  the 
very  covenant  itself.  Just  as  the  papists  do  in  the  doctrine 
of  transubstantiation  :  because  it  is  said,  this  is  my  body,  they 
at  once  conclude  that  the  bread  is  the  very  body  of  Christ 
itself.  Whereas  nothing  can  be  plainer,  than  that  the  con- 
tents of  God's  covenant  had  been  stated,  and  Abraham  had 
complied  with  them,  above  20  years  before  the  institution  of 
circumcision.  And  this  very  covenant,  which  had,  from, 
time  to  time,  been  renewed,  is  again  renewed  in  Gen.  xvii. ; 
and  an  external  seal  is  appointed  to  it.  So  that  nothing  hin- 
ders but  that  the  covenant  with  Abraham  mav  be  what 
the  Scriptures  teach  it  to  be,  and  what  the  Christian  world 
have  always  thought  it  to  be ;  viz.  the  covenant  of  grace : 
and  circumcision  may  still  be,  what  it  has  been  always 
thought  to  be;  viz.  an  external  seal  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  which  God  made  with  Abraham f.  And  if  God's 

/  And  if  circumcision  was  a  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  then  every  circumcis- 
ed Israelite  was  under  covenant  bonds,  in  all  things  to  comply  with  and  live  up  to 
the  covenant  of  grace,  as  administered  under  that  dispensation.  Particularly,  he 
was  under  covenant  bonds  to  separate  himself  and  his  household  from  the  idola- 
trous world,  and  to  love  and  worship  the  true  God,  and  to  believe  in  and  wait  for 
the  promised  Messiah,  and  to  look  for  a  better  country,  that  is,  an  heavenly 
one.  And  he  was  under  covenant  bonds  in  these  views,  and  with  this  temper,  to 
circumcise  his  children,  and  bind  them  in  all  things  to  comply  with  and  live  up  to 
the  covenant  of  grace.  And  to  neglect  this  was  to  be  guilty  of  the  breach  of  the 
Abrahamic  covenant.  And  those  who  persisted  in  this  neglect  proved  themselves 
to  be  not  the  genuine  children  of  Abraham,  but  rather  apostates  from  the  God  of 
•their  father:  and  as  such  they  deserved  to  be  cut  off  according  to  Gen.  xvii.  14. ; 
for  Abraham  acted  sincerely  a»d  from  the  heart  in  complying  with  God's  call  to 
leave  his  native  country,  and  in  separating  himself  and  his  household  from  the 
idolatrous  world,  to  worship  and  serve  the  true  God,  to  believe  in  and  wait  for  the 
promised  Messiah,  looking  upon  the^land  of  Canaan  as  a  type  of  heaven,  which 
was  indeed  the  country  for  which  he  sought.  For  this  world  was  not  his  home. 
But  he  was  a  pilgrim  and  stranger  on  earth.  And  all  the  genuine  children  of 
Abraham  are  of  the  same  spirit.  For  they  do  the  -works  of  Abraham.  John  \iii. 
39.  All  his  seed  therefore  according  to  the  flesh,  by  being  circumcised  on  the 
eighth  day,  were  bound  by  God  to  be  of  the  same  spirit.  And  when  they  became 
adult,  and  children  were  born  to  them,  they  were  bound  in  the  same  spirit  to  cir* 


WAS  A   HOLY  COVENANT.  1S9 

covenant  with  Abraham  was  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  if 
the  same  covenant  which  took  place  then,  continues  under 
the  gospel  dispensation,  as  Mr.  M.  asserts,  p.  !2.  then  the 
dispute  is  at  end.  Mr.  M.'s  scheme  is  demolished.  How- 
ever, because  he  means  to  gather  strength  from  the  Sinai  co- 
venant, let  us  proceed  to  consider  that. 

N  B.  If  the  Abrahamic  covenant  was  in  no  sense  any 
part  of  the  Sinai  covenant,  then  circumcision  was  in  no  sense 
a  seal  of  the  Sinai  covenant :  and  in  this  view  the  Sinai 
covenant  ought  to  be  entirely  left  out  of  the  dispute.  Be- 

curacise  their  children.  If  they  neglected  to  circumcise  their  children  in  this 
spirit,  they  broke  God's  covenant.  If  they  performed  the  external  rite  of  cir- 
cumcising their  children,  they  did,  by  that  action,  practically  profess  to  be  of 
this  spirit.  For  this  was  the  import  of  the  action.  If  their  hearts  were  answer- 
able to  their  external  conduct,  then  they  wer«  Abraham's  children  indeed  ;  and 
heirs,  not  only  of  earthly,  but  also  of  the  heavenly  Canaan.  If  they  had  no 
love  to  the  God  of  Abraham,  or  faith  in  the  promised  Messiah,  they  were  pa- 
gani  at  heart.  Or  in  other  words,  they  were  uncircumcised  in  heart  ;  and  will 
be  considered  and  treated  accordingly,  as  soon  as  ever  they  shall  come  to  stand 
befofe  the  bar  of  God,  as  searcher  of  hearts,  in  the  invisible  world.  For  he  is 
not  a  Jew,  who  is  one  outwardly,  neither  is  that  circumcision  -which  is  outward 
in  the  flesh.  But  he  is  a  Jew  which  is  one  inwardly  ;  and  circumcision  is  that  of 
the  heart.  But  if  thou  be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision  it  made  un- 
circumcisiun.  Rom.  ii.  25 — 29.  However,  in  this  present  world,  God  conducted 
toward  them  not  as  the  searcher  of  hearts,  but  in  the  character  of  a  visible 
head  ;  and  therefore  dealt  with  them  according  to  visible  appearances,  trusting 
their  profession,  saying,  surely  they  are  my  people,  children  that  will  not  lie. 
And  in  this  character  he  considered  them  as  covenant-breakers,  not  according  to 
what  they  were  in  heart  secretly,  but  according  to  what  they  appeared  to  be 
in  external  conduct.  These  hints  may  serve  to  show  the  true  import  of  Gen. 
xvii.  14.  and  the  meaning  of  Exod.  iv.  24,  25,  26. 

There  have  been  four  dispensations  of  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  the  Adamaic, 
Abrahamic,  Mosaic,  and  the  Christian.  Repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  in 
the  promised  seed,  «nd  holiness  of  heart  and  life,  have  been  equally  necessary 
in  all  times,  and  under  all  dispensations ;  but  rites  and  ceremonies  have  been 
varied.  Offering  sacrifice  was  always  practised  from  the  days  of  Adam,  but 
circumcision  was  appointed  to  the  family  of  Abraham.  Melchizedek  ami  Lot 
were  under  the  Adamaic  dispensation,  therefore  they  practised  sacrificing,  but 
not  circumcision.  But  there  never  was  a  covenant  made  by  God  adapted  to  the 
temper  and  conduct  of  impenitent  self-righteous  sinners,  requiring  men  to  feel 
and  act  as  they  do,  in  their  religious  exercises  and  performances  ;  but  from  the 
early  days  of  Cain  to  the  present  period.  God  has  ever  refused  to  smell  a  sweel 
savour  in  such  sacrifices.  The  first  persecution  and  the  first  martyr  %ras  rotative 
to  this  point .  Gen.  iv.  3 — 8. 


140  COVENANT  WITH  THE    ISRAELITES 

cause  we  are  all  agreed,  that  the  Gospel  covenant  is  the  same 
for  substance  with  the  Abrahamic.  However,  let  us  see 
what  evidence  there  is  that  the  Sinai  covenant  was  a  holy 
covenant,  which  could  not  be  really  complied  with,  but  in 
the  exercise  of  real  holiness. 


SECTION  III. 

The  covenant  with  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  was  a  holy 
covenant,  and  could  not  be  really  complied  with,  but  in  the 
exercise  oj  real  holiness. 

THE  whole  law  of  Moses,  which  was  written  in  a  book, 
comprises  at  large  all  the  contents  of  the  covenant  with  the 
Israelites  in  the  wilderness.  This  book,  therefore,  was  called 
the  book  of  the  covenant.  And  the  little  chest  in  which  it 
was  put,  from  the  special  use  to  which  it  was  appropriated, 
was  called  the  Ark  of  the  covenant.  Deut.  xxxi.  Q«  2.%  26. 
A  brief  summary  of  this  law  was  written  on  two  tables  of 
stone.  Deut.  iv.  13.  Which  two  tables  of  stone  were,  there- 
fore, called  the  tables  of  the  covenant,  Deut.  ix.  9,  10,  1 1. 
Jo.  and  were  also  put  into  the  Ark  of  the  covenant.  Deut.  x. 
4,  5.  So  that  we  may  be  as  certain  of  the  nature  of  that 
covenant,  as  we  can  be  of  the  meaning  of  the  Mosiac  law. 

The  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  professed  a  compliance 
with  this  covenant,  and  with  no  other,  as  is  beyond  dispute 
certain  from  Exod.  xix.  8.  And  chap.  xxiv.  3.  Deut.  v.  1  — 
6.  And  chap.  xxvi.  16,  17,  18.  Chap,  xxviii.  ].  15.58. 
And  chap.  xxix.  9 — 13.  compared  with  chap.  xxx.  10 — 16. 
And  as  soon  as  they  should  pass  over  Jordan  ihey  were 
expressly  commanded  to  set  up  great  stones,  and  plaister 
them  with  plaister,  and  wuite  upon  them  all  the  words  of  this 
law  ;  and  to  build  an  altar,  and  offer  sacrifice  ;  and  half  the 
tribes  were  to  stand  on  mount  Ebal,  and  half  on  mount  Ge- 
rizzim,  and  the  Levites  were  to  say  unto  all  the  men  of  Israel 
with  a  loud  voice,  cursed  be  the  man,  &c.  that  breaks  this  and 
that  law,  twelve  times  successively,  according  to  the  number 


IN     THE    WILDERNESS.  141 

of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  And  finally,  to  sum  all  in  one 
word,  Cursed  be  the  man  that  coiifrmtth  not  all  the  nords  of 
this  law  to  do  them :  and  all  tht  people  s/ia/l  say,  Amen. 
Dijut.  xxvii.  And  this  most  solemn  and  affecting  affair  was 
accordingly  attended,  soon  after  they  had  passed  over  Jordan. 
Josh.  viii.  30—35. 

So  that,  by  their  own  act  and  deed,  they  did,  in  the  most 
public  and  explicit  manner,  declare  their  hearty  approbation 
of,  and  acquiescence  in,  not  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  but 
the  perfect  law  of  God,  in  all  its  strictness,  and   with  all  its 
Gurses,  as  holy,  just,  and  good.     Nor  was  there,  according  to 
that  constitution,  any  hope  of  pardon  in  case  of  transgression, 
but  by  the  blood  of  atonement.     Nor  was  there  any  pardon 
to  be   obtained  in   this  way   until  they   repented,  until   their 
uncircumcised  hearts  were  humbled,  even  so  deeply  humbled 
as  to  accept  the  punishment  of  their  iniquity.     Lev.  xxvi. 
40,  41.     Neh.  ix.  Dan.  ix.     Then  they  were  to  pray  for  par- 
don, looking  towards  God's  holy  dwelling-place,  where  the 
covenant  was  laid  up  in  the  ark,  and  covered  with  a  lid  all 
made  of  pure  gold,  to  keep  the  law  in  honour,  which  was  a 
type  of  Christ,  whose  office  it  is  to  magnify  the  law,  and 
make  it  honourable,  and  to  open  a  way  for  grace  to  reign. 
That  lid  was  called  the  mercy-seat,  or  rather  as  critics  say,  it 
ought  to  have  been  translated,  the  propitiatory  ;  for  it  was  a 
shadow  of  Christ  the  great  propitiatory.     And   moreover,  to 
complete  the  shadow,  without  shedding  of  blood  there  was  no 
remission.     Just  thus  stands  the  account  in  the  sacred  writ- 
ings. 

This  cordial  approbation  of  their  law  in  all  its  extent,  and 
xvith  all  its  curses ;  and  this  praying  for  pardon,  looking  to- 
wards God's  holy  dwelling-place,  offering  sacrifices,  &c.  was 
for  substance,  the  same  with  what  the  apostle  Paul  meant  by 
repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  which  was  the  sum  of  that  Gospel  he  used  to  preach 
to  the  Jew  and  also  to  the  Greek.  Acts  xx.  21.  For  in  re- 
pentance toward  God,  the  divine  law  is  heartily  acquiesced 
in,  and  loved  as  holy,  just,  and  good  ;  and  the  whole  blame  of 
every  transgression  is  taken  to  ourselves;  with  a  disposition 
to  say  unto  God,  thou  art  just  when  thoit  speakest,  and  clear 


COVENANT  WITH  THE  ISRAELITES 

when  thou  judgest.  And  in  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  we  look  only  to  free  grace  through  him  for  pardon 
and  eternal  life.  So  that  the  covenant  of  grace  in  a  legal 
dress,  was  the  very  covenant  into  which  they  professed  to  en- 
ter. So  Paul  understood  i.t;  Rom.  x.  6 — 10.  compared 
with  Deut.  30.  11 — 14.;  of  which  more  presently. 

But  a  heart  wholly  dead  in  sin,  is  in  a  state  of  total  con- 
trariety to  the  divine  law,  and  to  the  way  of  salvation  through 
Jesus  Christ;  or  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  is  enmity 
against  God,  is  not  subject  to  his  law,  neither  indeed  can  be. 
So  that  there  is  not  the  least  degree  of  real  compliance  with 
this  holy  covenant  in  one  who  is  entirely  destitute  of  holi- 
ness: and  so  no  degree  of  real  compliance  can  he  under- 
stand! ngly  and  honestly  professed.  But  if  the  truth  was 
known,  and  the  truth  was  spoken,  by  graceless  sinners,  they 
would  all  as  one  man  declare  agreeahle  to  our  confession  of 
faith,  "  we  are  utterly  indisposed,  disabled  and  apposite  to 
all  good,  and  wholly  inclined  to  all  evil;"  for  this  is  the 
very  truth  of  the  case ;  as  Mr.  M.  himself  professes  to  be- 
lieve. 

And  where  now  is  there  the  least  appearance  of  Mr.  M.'s 
external  graceless  covenant  in  the  Old  Testament  ?  The  con- 
tents of  Abraham's  covenant  are  justifying  faith;  he  believed 
in  the  Lord,  and  it  was  counted  to  him  for  righteousness,  and 
Gospel  obedience  ;  walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perfect.  And 
he  was  called  the  friend  of  God.  James  ii.  23.  The  contents 
of  the  covenant  at  Sinai,  is  the  holy  law  of  God  as  the  rule  of 
life,  and  the  blood  of  atonement  as  the  foundation  of  hope. 
And  where  is  this  unholy  covenant  ?  But  to  be  more  parti- 
cular in  the  confutation  of  this  notion  : 

1.  It  is  readily  granted,  that  a  notion  of  the  Sinai  cove- 
nant, somewhat  like  this,  was  once  espoused  by  the  most 
respectable  sect  in  the  Jewish  church  :  I  mean  the  Phari- 
sees. They  understood  theJVlosaic  law  in  this  very  sense, 
and  in  no  other.  And  in  this  they  were  more  consistent 
than  Mr.  Mather:  for  he  understands  the  Mosaic  law  in 
this  very  sense,  and  in  a  sense  diametrically  opposite  to  it, 
at  the  same  time ;  for  he  believes  the  Mosaic  law  requires 
perfect  holiness,  even  that  every  law  which  was  itself  the  rule 


IN  THE  WILDERNESS.  143 

of  duty  in  that  covenant  which  was  externally  entered  in- 
to; and  yet  he  believes  that  the  covenant  externally  enter- 
ed into,  did  require  no  holiness  at  all ;  but  might  be  really 
complied  with  in  the  sight  of  God,  by  a  graceless  man, 
dead  in  sin.  But  the  Pharisees  were  more  consistent  *. 
They  believed  that  the  Sinai  covenant  required  nothing  more 
in  religion  than  they  performed.  For,  as  touching  the  right- 
eousness of  the  laze,  they  were  blameless  in  their  own  eyes. 
For  they  lived  up  to  its  demands  in  their  sense  of  it.  All 
these  things  have  I  done  from  my  youth  up,  said  one  of  them. 
And  it  was  the  spirit  of  the  whole  party  to  say  to  God,  as  the 
elder  brother  did  to  his  father,  lo,  thtse  many  years  do  I  serve 
thee,  neither  transgressed  I  at  ant/  time  thy  commandment. 
Luke  xv.  For  they  were  in  their  own  eyes,  righteous  men 
who  needed  no  repentance.  And  ibis  encouraged  them  to 
pray  to  God,  and  to  hope  for  his  approbation  ;  for  they  could 
say  as  he  did,  God,  1  thank  thee  1  am  not  as  other  men ;  for 
without  the  late  sin  rcas  dead ;  and  so  they  were  alive  without 
the  law.  And  in  this  view  of  themselves,  they  were  bold  to 
claim  a  covenant  relation  to  God  ;  we  have  one  father,  even 
God.  And  they  gloried  much  in  having  Abraham  to  their 
father ;  and  were  vexed  at  John  Baptist,  and  Jesus  Christ, 
for  not  admitting  their  claims  to  be  well-grounded  ;  and  for 
representing  them  to  be  not  the  children  of  Abraham,  nor 
the  children  or  God,  but  the  children  of  the  devil,  a  gene- 
ration of  vipers.  This  was  shocking  treatment,  indeed,  of 
those  who  were  not  only  in  covenant  with  God,  as  they 
thought  ;  but  who,  as  they  understood  it,  had  lived  up  to  it 
too :  and  Mr.  M.  may  be  challenged  to  point  out  any  es- 
sential difference  between  their  notion  of  what  the  law  of 
Moses  required,  and  his  notion  of  what  his  external  covenant 
requires.  For  both  agree  in  this,  that  a  man  may  live  up 

g  For  the  divine  law  to  require  contrary  and  inconsistent  volitions,  is  to  be  a 
self-contradictory  and  inconsistent  law.  Mat.  vi.  24.  But  sinful  and  holy  volitions 
are  contrary  and  inconsistent  John  iii.  6.  Rom.  viii.  7.  Gal.  v.  17. 

For  God  to  make  two  laws,  one  requiring  none  but  holy  volitions,  the  other 
none  but  sinful  volitions,  is  to  reake  two  laws,  contradictory  and  inconsistent; 
both  of  which  cannot  be  in  force  at  the  same  time  :  yea,  rather,  neither  of 
which  can  be  in  force  at  all,  as  they  mutually  destroy  each  other. 


144  COVENANT  WITH  THE  ISRAELITES 

to  the  one,  and  to  the  other,  without  really  embracing 
Christianity.  They  lived  up  to  the  law  in  their  sense  of  it, 
and  openly  rejected  Christ.  And  one  may  live  up  to  Mr. 
M.'s  external  covenant  and  reject  Christ  in  his  heart,  as  he 
allows.  And  were  it  the  fashion,  he  who  rejects  Christ  in 
his  heart,  might  do  it  in  open  profession1*,  Nay,  how 
many  professors  are  there,  who,  in  their  consciences,  view 
the  divine  law  very  much  in  the  same  1'ght  that  the  Phari- 
sees did  ?  They  are  sensible  it  forbids  open,  gross,  and, 
(what  the  world  calls,)  scandalous  sins;  such  as  stealing, 
&,c.  Their  consciences  will  smite  them  if  they  are  guilty  of 
any  such  gross  sins :  but  their  consciences  never  smote  them 
in  their  lives  for  not  being  converted  for  impenitence,  for 
unbelief,  for  not  loving  God  and  Christ  above  all  things, 
&C.  &c.  But  they  are  agreed  to  a  man  to  justify  themselves 
in  these  sins,  for  they  say,  ".  we  do  as  well  as  we  can."  And 
these  are  the  men  who  claim  church  privileges  with  the  great- 
est boldness,  and  have  the  highest  notions  of  their  being  in 
covenant  with  God,  and  having  a  right  to  covenant  blessings. 

h  In  the  dark  days  of  popery  there  were  no  professed  infidels  among  Chris- 
tians. Since  the  reformation,  light  and  knowledge  are  greatly  increased,  and  in- 
fidelity is  become  very  fashionable  in  Great-Britain.  However,  there  are  thou- 
sands of  professed  Christians  yet  remaining  in  the  visible  church,  who  believe 
the  bible  to  be  the  word  of  GOD,  not  because  they  understand  and  believe  that 
scheme  of  religion  which  in  fact  is  contained  in  the  bible  ;  but  because  they 
tjfiihk  it  contains  their  own  schemes.  Thus  Pelagians  believe  the  bible  to  be  the 
•word  of  God,  as  supposing  it  contains  a  system  of  Pelagianism  ;  and  Socinians,  as 
supposing  it  contains  a  system  of  Socinianism  ;  and  Arminians,  Neonomians, 
and  Antinomians  do  the  like  ;  while  they  allow  themselves  to  disbelieve,  and 
hate,  and  oppose  that  very  system  of  doctrines  and  practice  which  in  fact  it 
does  contain.  In  this  view  there  may  be  not  a  few  professed  Christians,  who 
are  infidels  in  reality  ;  i.  e.  who  really  disbelieve  that  scheme  of  religion  which 
is  contained  in  the  bible,  while  they  profess  to  believe  the  bible  to  be  the  word  of 
GOD.  Thus  it  was  among  the  Jews.  John  v.  46,  47.  Matt,  xxiii.  29 — 36.  Should 
light  still  increase,  and  these  men  find  out  that  their  various  schemes  are  not 
contained  in  the  bible,  if  left  to  thetr  own  hearts,  they  would  universally  prefer 
infidelity  to  Christianity.  And  in  this  case  there  would  be  notliing  to  prevent 
their  throwing  off  the  profession  of  Christianity  but  their  worldly  interest.  For 
it  is  plain  fact,  that  the  external  evidences  of  Christianity,  when  fresh,  and  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  the  Pharisees,  were  not  sufficient  to  conquer  their  aversion  to 
it,  so  as  to  prevent  their  rejecting  of  it.  And  human  nature  is  the  same  that  it 
was  seventeen  hundred  years  ago. 


IN   THE  WILDERNESS.  145 

If  it  should  ever  happen  to  these  men,  that  their  consciences 
should  be  so  awakened,  as  to  see  that  a  state  and  course  of 
enmity  against  God  and  his  law,  and  of  rebellion  against 
the  Majesty  of  Heaven,  is  as  great  a  sin,  in  the  sight  of  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel,  as  stealing,  considered  as  a  crime  com- 
mitted against  our  neighbour  ;  their  consciences  would  soon 
tell  them,  that  the  one  disqualified  them  in  the  sight  of 
God,  for  entering  into  covenant  with  God,  as  much  as  the 
other.  But  if  we  tell  men,  that  a  state  and  course  of  enmity 
against  God  and  his  law,  and  of  rebellion  against  the  Majes- 
ty of  heaven  does  not,  in  the  sight  of  God,  disqualify  them 
to  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  though  stealing  does,  it  will 
have,  according  to  Mr.  M.'s  reasoning,  p.  44.  "  a  direct 
tendency  to  prevent  their  minds  being  impressed  with  a  sense 
of  the  heinous  nature  of  such  sins,  and  of  God's  displeasure 
against  them  ;  but  it  is  highly  expedient  they  should  be  so 
dealt  with,  as  to  awaken  in  their  minds  a  sense  of  the  displea- 
sure of  God  against  their  conduct." 

2.  Jesus  Christ  did   not  understand  the  law   of   Moses, 
which  was  the  rule  of  duty  in  the  Sinai  covenant,  in   the 
same  sense  with  the  Pharisees,  as  requiring  such  a  kind  of 
obedience  as  they  performed,  and  as  other  unconverted  men 
may  perform ;  but  professedly  undertook  to  give  another  ex- 
planation of  it.     This  he  did  in  his  sermon  on  the  Mount, 
•which  may  be  considered   as  a  confutation  of  the  Pharisaic 
scheme  of  religion.     But  a  man  may  comply  with  Mr.  M.'s 
external  covenant  fully,  who  has  not  the  least  degree  of  that 
religion  taught  in  this  sermon.     A  graceless  man  may  live  up 
to  Mr.  M.'s  covenant,  and  at  the  same  time  be  entirely  desti- 
tute of  a  compliance  with  the  law  of  Moses,  in  our  Saviour's 
sense  of  it.    For,  Bays  Christ,  he  that  heareth  these  sayings  of 
mine,  and  doeth  them,  shall  be  like  a  man  that  built  his  house 
npon  a  rock.     But  a  man  may  hear  and  do  those  things  re- 
quired in  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  and  yet  finally  be  like 
the  man   that  built  his  house  upon  the  sand;  as  he  himself 
allows. 

3.  The  law  of  Moses,  which  was  the  rule  of  duty  in  the 
covenant  into  which  the  Israelites  entered,  required  nothing 
but  holiness.     That  covenant,  which  was  externally  exhibit- 

VOL.  in.  19 


J4(>  COVENANT  WITH  THE  ISRAELITES 

ed,  and  externally  entered  into,  was  so  far  from  being  alto- 
gether a  graceless  covenant,  that  it  required   nothing  but  true 
grace  and  real  holiness ;  nothing  but  love,  with  all  its  vari- 
ous exercises  and  fruits,  in  heart  and  life ;  love  to  God  and 
man  :  of  this  we  are  expressly  assured  by  one  who  carne 
from  God,  and  infallibly  understood  the  nature  of  that  dis- 
pensation.    Mat.  xxii.    36 — 40.     Master,  which  is  the  great 
commandment  in  the  law  V  said   a  Pharisee  to   our  Saviour, 
referring  to  the  law  of  Moses.     "  Jesus  said  unto  him,  thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all 
thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind :  this  is  the  first  and  great 
commandment;  and  the  second  is  like  unto  it,  thou  shalt  love 
vthy  neighbour  as  thyself."     Thus  he  had  answered  the  Phari- 
see's question.      But  he  proceeded  to  add  another  sentiment, 
which  effectually  overthrew  the  Pharisaic  scheme.     On  these 
two  commandments  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets ;  for  if 
the  law  obliged   the  Jew  to  perform  every  duty  in  a  holy 
manner,  out  of  love ;  and  required   no  other  kind  of  obedi- 
ence but  this  ;  if  all  the  law  and  the  prophets  hung  on  these 
two  commands  ;  so  that  radically  love  was  all ;  so  that  this  holy 
love  was  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  Rom.  xiii.  8.  10.  then  the 
Pharisees,  who  were  entirely  destitute  of  this,  were  equally 
destitute  of  that  kind  of  religion  required  in  the  Mosaic  law, 
and  so  their  scheme  was  completely  overthrown  l. 

«  It  is  not  only  a  fundamental  maxim  in  the  scripture  scheme  of  religion,  that 
love  is  tlte  fulfilling  of  the  la-w  ;  but  it  is  expressly  affirmed,  that  without  lore 
the  highest  gifts  and  the  greatest  attainments,  the  most  expensive  deeds,  and  the 
most  cruel  sufferings,  are  nothing,  and  will  profit  nothing.  The  apostle  Paul  car- 
ries the  point  so  far  as  to  say,  though  I  speak  -with  the  tongues  of  men  and  angels, 
and  have  not  charity,  I  am  as  sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal ;  as  desti- 
tute of  true  and  real  virtue.  Jlnd  though  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  un- 
derstand all  mysteries,  and  have  all  knowledge  :  and  though  I  have  all  faith, 
to  that  I  could  remove  mountains,  and  have  no  charity,  I  am  nothing.  And  to 
carry  the  point  as  high  as  it  can  possibly  be  carried,  he  adds,  and  though  Ibestotu 
all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  thongh  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have 
not  charity,  it  prqfiteth  me  nothing.  For  in  his  view  charity,  or  love,  was  the 
»um  total  of  all  virtue.  And  so  there  is  no  virtue  in  any  knowledge,  faith,  or 
practice,  any  further  than  there  is  love  in  them  ;  and  where  there  is  no  love,  these 
are  all  nothing.  In  a  word,  holiness  in  the  creature  is  a  conformity  to  God's  mo- 
ral perfections.  The  law  is  a  transcript  of  God's  moral  character  :  God  is  love 
The  whole  of  what  the  law  requires,  is  love  with  all  its  various  exercises  and 


IN  THE  WILDERNESS.  147 

4.  It  is  manifest,  that  Moses  himself  instructed  the  Israel- 
ites to  understand  the  covenant  in  this  sense,  and  that  the 
blessings  of  it  were  promised,  not  to  an  ungracious,  but  to  a 
holy  obedience.     Moses  did  instruct  the  Israelites  to  under- 
stand it  in  this  sense,  as  requiring  holiness,  Deut.  vi.  4,  5. 
Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord.     And  thou 
shaft  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all 
thy  son/,  and  zeith  all  thy  might.  Lev.  xix.  18.   Thou  shall  love 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself.    And  as  requiring  nothing  but  holi- 
ness.   Dent.  x.    12.     And  now  Israel,  what  doth  the  Lord 
thy  God  require  ofthee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk 
in  all  his  ways,  and  to  love  him,  and  to  serve  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul — and  that  the  bless- 
ings of  it  were  promised  to  this  holy  obedience  ?    This  wa» 
one  clause  of  the  covenant,  Exod.  xx.  6.  Showing  mercy  un- 
to thousands  of  them  that  love  me  and  keep  my  commandments. 
And  thus  it  was  afterwards  explained.  Deut.  xi.  22.  For  if  ye 
will  diligently  keep  all  these  commandments  tihich  1  command 
you  to  do  them,  to  love  the  Lord  your  God,  to  walk  in  all  his 
ways,  and  to  cltate  unto  him,  then  will  the  Loid  drive  out  all 
these  nations  from  before  you,  &.C.  &c.     And  if  any  man  will 
read  the  first  eleven  chapters  of  Deut.  he  will  see  with  what 
plainness  and  fidelity  Moses  explained  the  covenant  to  the 
Israelites  :   or  rather  let  the  whole   book   be  read  through 
from  beginning  to  end  in  this  view. 

5.  The   same  kind  of  faith  in  God,   as  their  conductor 
through  the  wilderness  to  the  promised  land,  which  was  a 
type  of  the  heavenly  Canaan,  was  required  of  the  whole  con- 
gregation of  Israel  in  their  covenant,  as  is  required  of  every 
believer,  under  the  Gospel  dispensation,  in  Christ  Jesus,  the 
captain  of  our  salvation,  on  whom  we  depend  to  conduct 
us  safe  through  this  world  to  that  rest  that  remains  for  the 
people  of  God  :  and  this  they  professed,  when  they  professed 
to  take  Jehovah  for  their  God.     And  for  tbe  want  of  this 
faith  their  carcasses  fell  in  the  wilderness,  just  as  false  pro- 
fruit!.     Therefore  love  is  the  sum   of  all  virtue.     Therefore,  where  there  is  no 
love  there  is  no  virtue  :  not  the  least  degree  of  a  real  conformity  to  God's  nature 
and  law.     Were  this  point  understood  and  attended  to,  it   would  put  an  end  to 
more  lhan  half  the  disputes  in  the  Christian  world. 


148  COVENANT  WITH  THE  ISRAELITES 

fessors  under  the  Gospel  fall  short  of  heaven  through  unbe- 
lief;  as  is  plain  from  Num.  xiv.  and  from  the  3d  and  4th 
chapters  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  And  this,  beyond 
all  dispute,  is  a  saving  faith,  a  faith  of  a  holy  nature,  and  not 
the  faith  of  devils. 

f).  Paul  understood  Moses  to  include  the  covenant  of 
grace  in  his  law.  This  is  so  plain,  that  any  may  see  it,  that 
will  read  and  compare  Rom.  x.  6 — 10.  with  Deut.  xxx.  11, 
12,  13. 

7.  Peter  also  understood  the  holiness  required  in  the  Sinai 
covenant  to  be  the  same  kind  of  holiness  which  the  Gospel 
requires  of  true  saints,  and  without  which  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord  ;  as  is  so  evident,  that  none  will  fail  to  see  it,  that 
will  read  and  compare  1  Pet.  i.  15,  16.  with  Lev.  xix.  £. 

Thus  it  appears,  that  the  covenant  externally  exhibited, 
and  externally  entered  into,  in  the  wilderness,  was  not  a 
graceless,  but  a  holy  covenant. 

OBJ.  "  It  will  follow  that  perfect  and  sinless  obedience 
was  what  they  professed  ;"  for  "  nothing  short  of  perfection 
comes  up  to  the  demand  of  loving  God  with  all  the  heart. 
Although  therefore  they  entered  into  a  covenant  which  re- 
quired them  to  love  God  with  all  their  heart;  yet  the  pro- 
fession which  they  then  made,  cannot  consistently  be  under- 
stood as  a  profession,  that  at  that  time  there  was  such  an 
heart  in  them  ;  but  that  such  a  heart  was  their  duty,  and  in- 
tended as  the  object  of  their  pursuit.  But  that  an  unrenewed 
sinner  can,  in  no  sense,  be  said  to  seek  such  an  heart,  is  what 
to  me  wants  proof."  p.  22,  23. 

ANS.  Although  the  Israelites  did  not  profess  a  perfect 
compliance  with  the  law  of  perfection  ;  yet  they  did  profess  a 
cordial  compliance  with  it,  even  with  the  whole  of  it;  but 
the  unrenewed  sinner  can,  in  no  Scripture  sense,  be  said  cor- 
dially to  comply  with  it,  in  the  least  degree.  But  to  be  more 
particular  : 

1.  In  this  objection  Mr.  M.  grants  one  main  point  for 
which  we  contend,  viz.  that  the  law,  which  was  the  rule 
of  duty  in  the  Sinai  covenant,  required  perfect  holiness.  He 
must  therefore  acknowledge,  that,  it  forbid  every  sin,  the 
least  as  well  as  the  greatest :  and  that  it  therefore  required 


IN   THE  WILDERNESS.  149 

nothing  but  holiness.     And  that  therefore  his  unholy  grace- 
less covenant  was  not  required  by  it,  or  contained  in  it. 

•J.  it  will  on  the  other  hand  be  readily  granted  by  us,  that 
(he  law  of  God,  (considered  as  requiring  perfect  holiness, 
and  forbidding  every  sin,  the  least  as  well  as  the  greatest,) 
is  the  rule  of  life  to  believers;  and  as  such,  is  presupposed 
and  implied  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  is  not  design- 
ed to  make  void,  but  to  establish  the  law.  Rom.  iii.  31.  And 
therefore,  whenever  the  covenant  of  grace  is  complied  with 
in  the  exercise  of  failh,  the  law  in  the  very  act  is  cordially 
received  as  a  rule  of  life  by  the  believer  :  even  as  Abraham 
received  that  divine  injunction,  walk  before  me  and  be  thou 
perfect,  in  the  very  act  of  his  renewing  covenant  with  God. 
Gen.  xvii.  But  I  have  endeavoured  already  to  explain  and 
prove  this  at  large  in  an  essay  on  the  nature  and  glory  of  the 
Gospel. 

3.  None  can  consistently  pretend,  that  Moses  intended 
to  lead    the    Israelites   to   profess   sinless  perfection   in  that 
covenant;  because  the  daily  sacrifice  of  a.  lamb,  the  great  type 
of  the  Lamb  of  God  which  takes  away  the  sins  of  the  world, 
which  was  to  be  offered,  morning  and   evening  continually, 
as  well  as  a  great  variety   of  other  sacrifices  of  atonement, 
were  essential  parts  of  the  Sinai  covenant.  But  these  had  been 
needless  institutions,  had  perfect  holiness  been   professedly 
expected.     For  it  was  professedly  expected  that  they  would 
keep  covenant.     For  they  were  taken  into  covenant  in  that 
view.     Isa.  l.xiii.  8.    For  he  said,  surely  they  are  my  people, 
children  that  will  not  lie. 

4.  And  yet  no  fact  can  be  plainer  than  that  Moses  led 
them  to  receive  the  whole  law  for  the  rule  of  their  lives,  and 
that  they  professed  to  do  this.     Exod.  xxiv.  3.     And  Moses 
came  and  told  the  people  all  the  words  of  the  Lord,  and  all  the 
judgments  :  and  all  the  people  answered  with  one  voice,  and 
said,  all  the  words  which  the  Lord  hath  said,  will  zee  do. 
Compared  with  Deut.  xxvi.  17-  Thou  hast  avouched  the  Lord 
this  day  to  be  thy  God,  to  walk  in  his  ways,  and  to  ketp  his 
ttatntcs  and  his  commandments,  and  his  judgments,  and  to 
hearken  unto  his  roice.     For  they  professed,  not  merely  to 
give   the   assent  of  their  understandings  to  this  truth,  viz. 


130  COVENANT  WITH  THE  ISRAELITES 

that  the  la«r  of  God  ought  to  be  the  rule  of  their  lives ;  but, 
to  use  the  modern  phrase,  they  professed  the  consent  of  their 
wills.  "  All  the  words  which  the  Lord  hath  spoken,  will  we 
do."  And  God  declares  that  this  was  "  well  said."  And 
had  there  been  "such  an  heart  in  them/'  answerable  to  their 
visible  profession,  they  would  have  been  Israelites  indeed  : 
for  their  hearts  would  then  have  been  sight  in  the  sight  of 
God,  and  they  would  have  been  steadfast  in  his  covenant. 
Num.  xxxii.  11,  12.  Their  profession  therefore  was  full 
enough,  but  they  lied  to  God  with  their  tongues.  Their  pro- 
fession was  as  full  as  God  desired :  but  there  was  not  such  an 
heart  in  them.  Ps.  Ixxviii.  36,  87.  For, 

5.  It  is  the  peculiar  character  of  the  regenerate  cordially 
to  receive  the  divine  law  as  the  rule  of  their  lives.     Heb.  viii. 
10.     But  it  is  the  universal  character  of  the  unregenerate  to 
be  in  a  stale  of  total   contrariety  to  the  divine   law  in   their 
hearts.     Rom.    viii.  7.      Hecause  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God  :jbr  it  zs  not  subject  to   his  laz&,  neither  indeed 
can  be.    Therefore, 

6.  As  every  true  believer  does  cordially  receive  the  law  of 
God  for  the  rule  of  his  life,  so  he  may  understandingly   and 
honestly  profess  it :  but  one  whose  heart  is  in  a  state  of  total 
contrariety  to  the  divine  law,  if  he  understands  and   hwnestly 
speaks  the  truth,  must  say,  "  I  am  not  subject  to  the  divine 
law,  neither  indeed  can  I  be;  yea,  so  far  from  it,  that  I   am 
at  enmity  against  God."     But, 

7-  None  of  the  religious  seekings  and  endeavours  of  one, 
in  whom  a  total  non-compliance  with  God's  holy  covenant 
takes  place,  are  of  the  nature  of  a  compliance  with  that 
covenant,  in  the  least  degree;  as  is  self-evident.  Therefore, 

8.  There  is  no  way  left  for  a  profession  of  a  compliance 
with  God's  holy  covenant,  to  those  who  know  themselves 
to  be  unconverted,  (without  lying,)  but  to  deny  the  doctrine 
of  total  depravity.     For  si»ce  the  covenant  cannot  be  proved 
to  be  an  unholy  graceless  one,  we  must  pretend  that  grace- 
less sinners  have  some  grace,  in  order  to  obtain  our  end. 
But, 

9.  If  unconverted  sinners  have  that  grace,  which  is  a  com- 
pliance with  the  covenant  of  grace,  then   they  are   entitled 


IN  THE  WILDERNESS.  151 

to  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  to  pardon,  justifi- 
cation, and-eternal  life  ;  to  say  which,  is  at  once  to  set  aside 
the  whole  New  Testament.  Thus  stands  the  case. 

Now  what  method  Mr.  M-  will  take  to  get  along  with  his 
scheme,  after  time  for  reconsideration,  is  not  yet  known  :  or 
whether  a  gentleman  of  so  much  good  sense  will  not  rather 
give  it  up. 

OBJEC.  But  if  these  things  are  true,  it  will  follow, -that  the 
covenant  with  Abraham,  the  Sinai  covenant,  and  the  Gos- 
pel covenant,  are  for  substance  one  and  the  same  covenant ; 
even  the  covenant  of  grace :  but  this  does  not  agree  with 
many  Scripture  texts.  For  the  apostle  Paul  distinguishes  be- 
tween the  Abrahamic  covenant  and  the  Sinai  covenant,  be- 
tween the  promise  to  Abraham  and  the  law  which  was  430 
years  after,  and  calls  them  two  covenants.  Gal.  3.  16,  17>  18. 
and  Chap.  4.  24.  And  he  represents  the  Sinai  covenant, 
which  he  calls  the  law  as  requiring  perfect  obedience  on 
pain  of  the  curse.  Chap.  iii.  10.  And  affirms  that  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law  no  flesh  can  bt  justified.  Rom  iii.  20.  Gal.  ii.  16. 
And  that  Abraham  was  not  justified  by  the  law,  but  by  faith. 
Gal.  iii.  6,  7,  8,  9.  And  that  the  law  is  not  of  faith,  ver.  12. 
but  a  school-master  to  bring  us  to  Christ,  that  we  might  be 
justified  by  faith.  Ver.  24.  Moreover,  it  is  plainly  intimated, 
that  in  the  Sinai  covenant  God  did  not  communicate  sanctify- 
ing grace  to  those  that  were  under  it;  but  that  in  the  Gospel 
covenant  he  does.  At  Mount  Sinai  God  wrote,  the  law  on  ta- 
bles of  stone,  and  obliged  the  people  to  keep  it ;  but  did  not 
give  them  a  heart  to  do  so :  but  in  the  new  covenant  God 
writes  his  law  on  the  heart,  i.  e.  by  the  influences  of  his  Spirit, 
gives  a  disposition  of  mind  answerable  to  the  law.  Heb.  viii. 
8.  12.  Therefore  Paul  calls  the  Sinai  covenant  the  ministra- 
tion of  death  and  condemnation,  and  the  letter  that  killeth,  in 
distinction  from  the  Gospel,  which  he  calls  the  spirit  which 
giveth  life,  the  ministration  oj  the  spirit,  and  the  ministration 
of  righteousness.  2  Cor.  iii.  6,  7,  8. 

ANS.  As  Mr.  M.  maintains  that  the  Abrahamic,  the  Sinai, 
and  the  Gospel  covenants,  are  for  substance  one  and  the  same 
covenant;  so  the  foregoing  objection  cannot  consistently 


153  COVENANT  WITH  THE   ISRAELITES 

be  made  by  him  or  by  his  admirers;  nor  has  he  taken  any 
notice  of  it.     It  may  suffice  therefore  to  say,       ,0 

1.  That  every  self-righteous  Jew  was  disposed  to  consider 
the  Old  Testament  as  a  covenant  of  works,  and  every  self- 
righteous  Christian  is  disposed  to  consider  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  the  same  light.     They  attended  the  externals  of  that 
dispensation,  and  expected  to  find  acceptance  with  God,  by 
what  they  did.  Luke  xviii.  11.  Rom.  is.  31.  32.  And  their 
example  is  closely  followed  by  teo  many  under  the  Christian 
dispensation  :  neither  of  them  understanding  the  true  nature 
of  the  divine  law.  Rom.  vii.  8,  Q. 

2.  It  is  readily  granted,  that  St.  Paul  taught  that  all  self- 
righteous  sinners,  be  they  Jews  or  Christians,  are  under  a 
law   which   requires   perfect  obedience  on    pain    of  eternal 
damnation  :  that  this  law  is  holy,  just,  and  good  ;  that  they 
are  in  duty  bound  to  fulfil  this  law  themselves  ;  that  God  is 
not  bound  to  give  them  any  assistance  at  all ;  and  that  it 
curses  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things.     And  it  is 
readily  granted,  that  this  law  is  a  ministration  of  death  and 
condemnation,  and  killeth.     It  was  ordained  to  life,  i.  e.  it 
promises  life  to  every  one  that  lives  up  to  it ;  but  it  is  found 
to  be  unto  death  to  every  one  who  makes  the  attempt.  Rom. 
vii.  1-0. 

3.  It  is  readily  granted,  that  this  law  is  as  different  from 
the  Abrahamic  covenant,  and  the  Gospel  covenant,  as  the 
covenant  of  works  is  from  the  covenant  of  grace  :  and  that  it 
was  the  design  of  the  apostle  to  set  this  difference  in  a  clear 
and   striking  light,  that  he  might  kill  all  the  self-righteous 
hopes  of  the  self-righteous  sinner;  and  convince  him  that 
there  is  no  hope  in  his  case,  but  of  mere  free  grace  through 
Jesus  Christ.  Gal.  iii.  10.  24.  Rom.  iii.  9.  25. 

4.  It  is  also  granted,  that  this  law  was  one  principal  part 
of  the  Sinai  covenant ;  and  that  every  carnal  Jew  was  under 
it,  and  held  bound  by  it.    Yea,  that  it  is  the  peculiar  privilege 
of  the  true  believer  to  be  delivered  from  it ;  and  that  by  being 
united  to  and  interested  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  second  Adam, 
who  hath  completely  answered  its  demands;  Rom.  vi.  14. 
and  chap.  vii.  4,  5,  6.  Gal.  ii.  19,  20.  and  chap.  iii.   10.   14. 
And  to  grant  these  things,  is  to  grant  all  that  the  apostle  says 


JN  THE  WILDERNESS.  153 

itbout  this  law.     And  yet  consistently  with  nil  these  things  it 
may  be  asserted,  that, 

5.  The  Mosaic  dispensation  did  reveal  a  way  in   which 
pardon  of  sin  might  be  obtained  :  it  did  exhibit  in  types  a 
shadow   of  the  Gospel-way  of  obtaining   pardon.     See  the 
4th,  oth,  6th,  and  l6th  chapters  of  Leviticus,    And  it  did  pro- 
mise pardoning  mercy  and  sanctifying  grace  to  the  penitent 
believer.  Lev.  xxvi.  40,  41,  4£.   Dcut.  xxx.  1 — 6.     And  the 
land  of  Canaan  was  a  designed  type  of  heaven  ;  and  long 
life  and    prosperity   there,   of  eternal   life   and   blessedness 
above.  Heb.  iv.  1 — 1 1.  But  this  is  the  sum  of  what  is  intend- 
ed, when  the  Sinai  covenant  is  represented  as  a  covenant 
of  grace. 

6.  The  Israelites,   when  they   entered   into   covenant    at 
Mount  Sinai  in  words,  did  by  their  unbelief  reject  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  in  their  hearts.  Psalm  Ixxviii.  36,  37«  Heb.  Hi. 
19.    And  therefore,  notwithstanding  they  were  then  visibly 
married  to  Gouin  a  covenant  containing  the  promises  before 
mentioned,  whereby  they   laid    themselves   under  bonds  to 
keep  covenant ;  yet  GOD  was  not  obliged  to  give  them  a 
heart  to  keep  covenant,  by  any  promise  contained  in  that 
dispensation,  as  he  would  have  been  had  they  been  sincere, 
and  as  he  is  to  all  who  are  united  to  Christ  by  a  true  and  liv- 
ing faith.     And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  they  broke  covenant, 
in  an  open,  public  manner ;  and  he  regarded  them  not,  but 
their  carcasses  fell  in  the  wilderness.     Whereas  GOD  writes 
his  law  in  the  heart  of  the  true  believer,  and  effectually  in- 
clines him  to  walk  in  his  ways.     And  thus  every  false  pro- 
fessor, whether  Jew  or  Christian,  will  fall  short  of  the  hea- 
venly Canaan  ;  as  it  is  written,  John  xv.  2.  Every  branch  in 
me  that  beareth  not  fruit,  he  taketh  away  :  and  every  branch 
that  beareth  fruit,  he  purgeth  it  that  it  may  bring  forth  more, 
fruit. — But, 

7.  If  any,  after  all,  shall  insist  that  the  Sinai  covenant  was 
merely  a  covenant  of  works,  and  that  the  Abrahamic  cove- 
nant was  not  in  any  sense  contained  in  it,  they  ought  to  con- 
sider, that  if  this  be  so,  then  the  Sinai  covenant  ought  to  be 
entirely  left  out  of  the  account  in  the  present  dispute,  and 
circumcision  ought  to  be  considered  as  being  in  no  sense  a 

VOL.  in.  20 


154  THE  GOSPEL,  OF   CHRIST  DIFFERENT  FROM 

seal  of  it.  For  il  was  appointed  to  be  a  seal  of  the  Abra- 
hamic  covenant,  and  of  no  other  ;  and  therefore  if  the  Abra- 
hamic  covenant  was  in  no  sense  a  part  of  the  Sinai  covenant, 
then  circumcision  was  in  no  sense  a  seal  of  the  Sinai  cove* 
nant.  For  no  new  seals  to  the  covenant  of  works  have  been 
appointed  since  Adam  was  turned  out  of  paradise.  And  as 
for  Mr.  M.'s  external  graceless  covenant,  it  never  had  any 
existence.'  The  bible  knows  nothing  about  it,  either  name  or 
thing.  We  have  already  seen  that  it  is  not  contained  in  the 
Old  Testament,  and  we  shall  presently  perceive  that  it  is 
not  to  be  found  in  the  New. 


SECTION  IV. 

The  Gospel  of  Christ  essentially  different  from  Mr.  Mather's 
external  graceless  covenant. 

IT  is  true,  the  Gospel  consists  in  an  external  revelation  ; 
but  then  the  thing  revealed,  is  the  way  of  salvation  by  free 
grace  through  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  also  true,  that  the  call  of 
the  Gospel  is  an  external  call ;  but  then  the  thing  it  calls  us 
unto,  is  a  belief  and  compliance  with  the  way  of  salvation  by 
free  grace  through  Jesus  Christ.  The  Gospel  consists  in  the 
clearest  and  fullest  external  revelation  of  the  way  in  which 
GOD  may  be  just,  and  yet  justify  and  save  sinners ;  which  way 
of  salvation  it  constantly  invites  sinners  to  comply  with,  that 
they  may  be  pardoned  and  saved  ;  saying,  come,  for  all  things 
are  now  ready.  Mat.  xxii.  4.  This  may  be  called  an  external 
covenant,  as  it  is  a  visible  exhibition  of  the  covenant  of  grace 
with  which  professors  of  Christianity  visibly  comply  in  a  pro- 
fession of  repentance  toward  GOD,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  But  in  this  view  it  is  essentially  different  from 
Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  For  the  Gospel  covenant  pro- 
mises pardon  and  eternal  life  to  those  who  really  comply  with 
it;  but  one  may  comply  with  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  in 
sincerity  and  truth,  and  yet  have  no  grace,  and  finally  perish. 
For  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  does  not  require  saving 
j^race,  and  may  be  perfectly  complied  with  by  one  who  is 


iMR.  M.'S  EXTERNAL  GRACELESS  GOVENANT.    15i 

dead  in  sin.     For  it  is  an  unholy,  graceless  covenant ;  and 
so  it  is  essentially  different  from  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

John  Baptist  did  not  baptise  with  the  baptism  of  the  ex- 
ternal covenant,  but  with  the  baptism  of  repentance  for  the 
remission  of  sins.  Luke  iii. 

Jesus  Christ  did  not  call  men  to  comply  with  an  external 
graceless  covenant,  and  be  baptised  ;  but  to  repent  and  be- 
litve  the  Gospel.  Mat.  i.  15.  Having  coilnted  the  cost,  to 
deny  themselves,  take  up  their  cross  and  follow  him.  Luke 
xiv.  25 — 33.  Promising  eternal  life  to  those  who  did  so. 
Mat.  xix.  29-  Representing  graceless  professors  by  salt  that 
has  lost  its  savour,  and  is  good  J  or  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out 
and  trodden  underfoot.  Mat.  v.  13.  Luke  xiv.  34,  35.  He 
warned  his  hearers  against  professing,  and  not  living  up  to 
his  religion,  as  an  inconsistent  conduct.  Luke  vi.  46.  He 
called  them  to  make  such  a  profession  as  he  might  own  to 
their  honour  in  the  heavenly  world,  before  his  Father.  Mat. 
x.  32.  Whosoever  shall  confess  me  bejore  nun,  him  will  1  con- 
fess also  before  my  Father  zchich  is  in  heaven.  This  is  that 
profession  unto  which  he  invited  men,  and  never  invited  them 
to  any  other.  Rather  to  false  professors  Christ  declares  it 
will  be  said,  Friend,  how  earnest  thou  in  hither,  not  having  on 
a  wedding  garment  i  Mat.  xxii. 

The  apostles  had  no  commission  to  preach  and  baptise 
upon  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  ;  but  were  expressly  order- 
ed to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature ;  a  Gospel  that  pro- 
mised eternal  life  :  and  to  baptise  those  who  appeared  to 
comply  with  it.  Mark  xvi.  15,  16.  They  were  sent  to  make 
disciples,  not  to  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  but  to  Christiani- 
ty. Mat.  xxviii.  19,  20.  In  a  word,  they  were  sent  to  preach 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins  to  all  nations  in  the  name  of 
Christ.  Luke  xxiv.  47.  And  they  acted  up  to  their  com- 
mission. 

When  the  three  thousand  were  pricked  in  their  heart,  Pe- 
ter did  not  tell  them  to  comply  with  Mr.  M.'s  external  cove- 
nant and  be  baptised,  which  they  might  have  done,  and  yet 
have  continued  impenitent  and  unpardoned  ;  but  exactly 
according  to  his  roaster's  orders,  he  said,  repent  and  be  bap- 


156  THE  GOSPEL  OF  CHRIST  DIFFERENT  FROM 

tised  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  for  the  remission  of  sins. 
Acts  ii.  37,  38.     Repent  first,  and  then  be  baptised. 

And  when  Peter  went  to  preach  to  Cornelius,  it  was  not 
to  preach  up  an  external  covenant,  with  which  a  man  may 
comply  and  yet  perish  ;  but  to  declare  to  him  the  Gospel- 
way  of  salvation,  to  tell  him  words  whereby  he  might  be  sav- 
tdt  and  all  his  house.  Acts  xi.  14.  And  accordingly  lie 
preached  the  Gospel,  viz.  that  through  Christ's  name,  who- 
soever believethin  him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins.  Acts  x. 
43.  But  he  said  not  one  word  about  Mr.  M.'s  external  grace- 
less covenant.  And  when  the  church  at  Jerusalem  heard 
what  had  happened,  they  glorified  God,  not  that  the  Gentiles 
were  admitted  into  an  external  graceless  covenant,  a  thing 
not  heard  of  in  the  apostolic  age;  but  they  glorified  God, 
saying,  then  hath  God  also  to  the  Gentiles  grouted  repentance 
unto  life-  Acts  xi.  18.  For  it  had  been  their  notion,  that 
anuncircumcised  Gentile  could  not  be  saved.  Acts  xv.  1. 

Peter,  before  he  began  his  sermon,  was  well  assured  that 
Cornelius  was  a  real  saint;  for  Cornelius  had  known  so  much 
about  the  Jewish  religion,  that  although  born  a  Pagan,  yet 
he  had  renounced  idolatry,  and  had  become  a  true  and  ac- 
ceptable worshipper  of  the  God  of  Israel.  He  was  a  believer 
in  the  same  sense  that  Nathanael  was,  who  was  an  Israel- 
ite indeed,  in  whom  there  was  no  guile,  and  who,  however, 
did  not  at  that  time  know  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  who 
Was  to  come.  John  i.  40 — 47-  For  without  faith  it  is  impos- 
sible to  please  God.  Heb.  xi.  6.  But  Cornelius  obtained 
witness  that  he  was  righteous,  God  testifying  of  his  gifts,  by 
an  angel  from  heaven,  which  appeared  to  him.  Acts  x.  4. 
And  by  a  vision  which  appeared  to  Peter,  and  a  voice  de- 
claring Cornelius,  though  uncircumcisetl,  yet  in  the  sighd  of 
God  to  be  not  unclean,  but  clean  ;  for  that  God  himself  had 
cleansed  him  ;  ver.  9 — 16.  Peter  therefore  began  his  sermon 
with  a  declaration,  that  Cortlelius,  although  unciicumcised, 
was  nevertheless  in  a  state  of  acceptance  with  God  ;  ver.  34, 
35.  It  had  been  mad  work  therefore  for  Peter  to  have 
preached  up  Mr.  M.'s  external  graceless  covenant  to  one  who 
was  already  really  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  whom  Pe- 
ter had  just  declared  to  be  so.  But  Peter,  far  from  this, 


MR.  M/S   EXTERNAL  GRACKLESS  COVENANT.          157 

knowing  his  business  well,  gave  to  him  and  to  the  whole 
company  a  brief  narrative  of  the  life,  death,  and  resurrection 
of  Jesus  Christ ;  exhibiting  the  evidence  there  was,  that  he 
was  indeed  the  promised  Messiah,  and  that  through  his  name 
whosoever  believe  th  in  him  shall  receive  tht  remission  of  sins. 
Vet.  36 — 43.  And  it  happened  to  the  hearers,  while  he  was 
preaching,  as  Christ  said  it  would  to  them  that  believe, 
even  in  the  very  commission  which  he  gave  to  his  apostles. 
(Markxvi.  15,  10.)  The  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  that 
heard  the  reord  :  and  that  not  only  in  his  extraordinaiy  gifts, 
but  also  in  his  sanctifying  influences,  and  that  to  a  great  de- 
gree ;  for  they  not  only  "  spake  with  tongues,"  but  "  MAGNI- 
FIED GOD;"  as  the  blessed  Virgin  did,  when  filled  with  the 
Hol}r  Ghost,  Luke  i.  46.  Or  rather,  as  those  who,  on  the 
day  of  pentecost,  spake  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  Acts 
ii»  11.  This  appearance  struck  Peter  and  all  the  saints  pre- 
sent with  astonishment.  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that 
these  should  not  be  baptised  which  have  received  the  Holy 
Ghost  as  well  as  we?  said  Peter.  And  exactly  in  this  point 
of  light  did  Peter  afterwards  set  this  fact,  when  he  gave  a 
narrative  of  it  to  the  council  at  Jerusalem.  Acts  xv.  8,  9. 
And  God  zchich  knofeeth  the  hearts,  beareth  them  witness, 
giving  them  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  as  he  did  unto  us,  and  put 
no  difference  between  us  and  them,  purifying  their  hearts  by 
faith.  And  again, 

When  Paul  had  the  awakened  jailor  to  instruct,  and  to 
prepare  for  baptism,  he  said  not  one  word  to  him  about  Mr. 
M.'s  external  covenant,  either  name  or  thing;  but  preached 
the  gospel  to  him,  saying,  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Chiisf. 
and  thou  shaft  be  saved,  and  thy  house.  Acts  xvi.  30,  3 1 . 
And  thou  shall  be  "  saved."  He  did  not  preach  up  a  grace- 
less faith,  the  faith  of  devils;  but  a  saving  faith.  To  that, 
and  to  no  other,  did  he  exhort  the  jailor,  in  order  to  prepare 
him  for  baptism  k. 

fc  It  is  not  looked  upon  among  men,  ingenuous,  fair,  and  honest,  to  lead  any 
to  sign  and  seal  a  bond  before  we  let  them  know  the  contents  of  it  But  the 
apostles  led  their  converts  to  set  their  seal  in  baptism,  without  saying  one 
word  to  them  about  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  name,  or  tiling;.  This,  there- 


158  THE  GOSPEL  OF  CHRIST  DIFFERENT  FilOM 

When  Mr.  Sandeman  says,  that  "  a  simple  belief  of 
the  simple  truth,"  (the  heart  left  out  of  the  account,)  is 
saving  faith ;  Mr.  M.  will  doubtless  agree  with  me  in  say- 
ing, "  this  cannot  be  saving  faith  ;  because  the  devil 
has  it."  When  therefore  Mr.  Mather,  (p.  25.)  represents 
the  eunuch,  as  entering  into  covenant  with  God,  by  the 
simple  belief  of  the  simple  truth,  by  an  ungracious,  un- 
holy faith,  and  is  resolved  to  make  that  phrase,  "  with  all 
thine  heart,"  stand  for  nothing  ;  I  beg  leave  to  reply,  "  this 
faith  cannot  bring  those  into  covenant  with  God  that  have 
it;  because  the  devil  has  it."  And  I  humbly  conceive  that 
no  man  need  be  at  a  loss  about  the  meaning  of  Philip's 
words,  or  of  the  eunuch's  answer,  that  will  compare  them 
with  Rom.  x.  Q.  "  If  thou  shall  confess  with  thy  mouth 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart,  that  God 
hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  THOU  SHALT  BE  SAVED." 
And  with  1  John  iv.  15.  "  Whosoever  shall  confess  that 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in 
God."  And  chap.  v.  1.  "  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God."  For  just  this  was  the  profes- 
sion which  Philip  demanded,  and  which  the  eunuch  made. 

And  in  this  view  of  things,  it  is  easy  to  discern  the  true 
reason  why  the  apostolic  churches  were,  in  the  epistles  wrote 
to  them,  considered  and  treated  as  saints  by  the  writers,  who 
it  is  not  to  be  supposed  had  any  personal  acquaintance  at  all 
with  many  of  them  ;  and  why  they  were  spoken  of  as  be/ov- 
cd  of  God.  Rom.  i.  7.  Sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus.  1  Cor. 
i.  2.  Chosen  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the.  world. 
Eph.  i.  4,  See.  &c.  For  such  they  were  by  profession  before 
all  the  world  ;  and  such,  generally  speaking,  they  proved 
themselves  to  be  by  their  practice.  Indeed,  it  was  always 
expected,  that  tares  would,  more  or  less,  be  among  the  wheat. 
But  the  apostles  did  not  think  it  their  duty  to  sow  tares 
knowingly  and  on  design,.  In  that  age  of  the  church  this 
was  thought  to  be  the  work  of  the  devil.  Mat  xiii.  39. 
And  methinks  he  may  now,  in  our  age,  do  enough  at  it, 

fore,  was  not  the  covenant  which  they  led  them  to  seal.  Nay,  the  apostles 
themselves  do  not  appear  to  have  known  that  there  was  any  such  covenant  to  be 
preached  wp-by  them,  or  to  be  sealed  by  their  converts. 


MR.  M.'S  EXTERNAL  GRACELESS  COVENANT. 

without  any  help  from  the  clergy.  And  if  professors  in  that 
age  lived  up  to  their  profession,  and  gave  abundant  evidence 
of  their  sincerity,  by  the  holiness  of  their  lives,  as  Mr.  M. 
observes  they  did,  p.  31,  &c.  then  they  were  indeed  the 
salt  of  tht  earth,  and  the  light  of  the  world,  in  their  profession 
and  in  their  practice  too,  as  all  church-members  ought  to  be. 
Mat.  v.  13,  14,  15.  Nor  did  the  apostles  think  it  a  thing  of 
dangerous  tendency  to  treat  them  as  such  in  the  most  public 
manner,  in  the  sight  of  the  world  ;  as  Mr.  M.  must  have 
thought  on  his  scheme,  p.  />!,  &c.  These  were  churches  of 
visible  saints,  who  appeared  to  be  the  body  of  Christ,  a  living 
body  to  a  living  'head.  p.  48,  49.  And  not  synagogues  of 
satan,  to  which  graceless  professors  are  said  to  belong,  in 
Rev.  ii.  9-  To  conclude, 

When  we  read  the  life  of  John  Baptist,  and  of  Jesus 
Christ;  when  we  read  the  commission  given  to  the  apostles, 
in  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke;  and  when  we  read  the  his- 
tory of  their  conduct  in  the  Acts,  and  consider  how  they 
treated  the  churches  which  they  set  up,  nothing  can  be  plain- 
er, than  that  they  preached  the  Gospel,  made  proselytes  to 
Christianity,  set  up  Christian  churches  on  the  Gospel  plan  ; 
and  not  on  the  plan  of  an  external  graceless  covenant,  a  thing 
not  heard  of  in  that  age. 

OBJ.  But  there  was  not  time  to  examine  the  three  thou- 
sand on  the  day  of  pentecost,  in  order  to  form  a  judgment 
of  their  gracious  state  :  nor  to  judge  of  them  by  their  fruits, 
p.  26. 

ANS.  They  professed  to  comply  with  Peter's  exhortation, 
repent  and  be  baptised  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  for  the 
remission  oj  sins.  Their  profession,  circumstanced  as  it  was, 
was  to  all  appearance  sincere.  And  this  was  enough  ;  for  the 
doctrine  of  the  necessity  of  an  infallible  certainty,  that  pro- 
fessors were  what  they  professed  themselves  to  be,  in  order 
to  their  admission  into  the  church,  was  not  an  apostolic  doc- 
trine. And  besides,  they  had  as  much  time  to  examine  into 
their  grace,  as  into  their  moral  sincerity. 

OBJ.  "  How  could  the  character  of  the  apostles  be  main- 
tained as  infallibly  inspired  guides  to  the  church,  when  those 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  CHRIST   DIFFERENT  FROM 

they  had  received  did  so  often    prove  h}pocrites,   false  bre- 
thren, and  apostates  ?"     p.  29, 

ANS.  By  infallible  inspiration  they  were  taught,  that  it 
was  God's  prerogative  to  search  the  heart.  They  never  pre- 
tended to  do  it  themselves.  They  preached  repentance  to- 
ward God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Their 
converts  professed  that  repentance  and  faith  which  they 
preached.  They  received  them  upon  their  profession  ;  they 
expected  there  would  be  tares  among  the  wheat.  But  they 
did  not  mean  to  sow  tares  knowingly  and  upon  design  :  this 
was  the  work  of  the  devil ;  and  is  it  not  tit  that  the  ministers 
of  Christ  should  take  the  work  of  the  devU  out  of  his  hands  r 

OBJ.  It  is  true,  Peter  said  of  Cornelius  and  those  thnt 
were  with  him,  God  put  no  difference  between  us  and  them, 
purifying  their  hearts  by  faith.  But  he  said  this  some  years 
after,  in  which  time  they  had  doubtless  given  sufficient  evi- 
dence :  but  this  is  of  no  weight  to  prove  that  they  were  ad- 
mitted to  baptism  on  that  supposition,  p.  28. 

ANS.  If  he  did  say  this  some  years  after,  and  if  they  had 
in  that  time  given  ever  so  great  evidence  of  the  sincerity  of 
their  conversion  ;  yet  Peter  says  not  one  word  about  this 
consequent  evidence,  nor  gives  the  least  hint  that  they  had 
given  such  evidence.  He  mentions  not  one  single  fact  on 
which  his  charity  for  them  was  founded,  but  that  only  which 
happened  before  they  were  baptised,  viz.  giving  them  the 
Ho/y  Ghost  even  as  he  did  unto  MS.  But  the  apostles  received 
not  only  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  the 
day  of  pentecost,  but  also  large  effusions  of  his  sanctifying 
influences,  filling  their  hearts  with  love  to  divine  things. 
And  out  of  the  abundance  of  their  hearts,  their  mouths  spake 
of  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  Acts  ii.  11.  And  it  hap- 
pened to  Cornelius  and  his  household  just  as  it  had  to  the 
apostles  on  the  day  or'  pentecost,  and  their  hearts  were  fil- 
led with  divine  love ;  afid  out  of  the  abundance  of  their 
hearts  their  mouth  spake,  MAGNIFYING  GOD,  extolling 
and  praising  him  for  the  glorious  display  of  his  perfections  in 
the  work  of  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ.  Acts  x.  46.  By 
which  Peter  and  the  saints  who  were  with  him  perceived,  to 
their  full  satisfaction,  that  these  Gentile  converts  had  the 


IN  THE  WILDERNESS.  l6l 

same  holy  views,  and  holy  affections,  which  they  themselves 
had  ;  which  led  Peter  to  say,  God  bare  them  witness,  giving 
them  the  Holy  Ghost,  tven  as  he  did  unto  us ;  and  put  no  dif- 
ference between  us  and  them,  purifying  their  hearts  by  faith. 
This  is  the  plain  and  natural  sense. 


SECTION  V. 

Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supptr,  are  seals  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  and  of  no  other  covenant. 

MR.  Mather  says,  p.  36,  "  Seals  are  rites  of  confirmation. 
Nothing  is  confirmed  by  the  seal,  but  what  is  expressed  in 
the  written  instrument  to  which  it  is  annexed.  And  thus, 
God  confirms  and  ratifies  nothing  by  the  sacraments,  but 
what  is  contained  in  the  declarations  of  his  word."  And  p. 
37.  "  These  seals,  with  respect  to  us,  confirm  the  profession 
which  we  make,  and  the  engagements  we  come  under."  So 
that  if  the  "  written  instrument,"  is  the  covenant  or  grace, 
God,  by  affixing  his  seal,  ratifies  his  promise  to  save  those 
that  comply  with  it ;  and  this,  on  God's  part,  is  the  import 
of  the  action  of  sealing.  And,  if  the  "  written  instrument" 
is  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  the  professor,  by  actively  receiving 
the  seal,  declares,  on  his  part,  that  he  does  comply  with  that 
covenant,  and  ratifies  his  engagements  to  live  up  to  it.  For, 
thus  it  is  in  all  mutual  covenants  among  men,  where  both 
parties  seal,  they  do  by  sealing  declare  a  present  compliance 
with  the  bargain,  and  mutually  oblige  themselves  to  act  up  to 
it  for  the  future.  To  the  bargain,  I  say,  as  contained  in  the 
written  instrument ;  to  that,  and  to  nothing  else.  So  that 
when  once  it  is  determined  what  is  contained  in  the  written 
instrument,  it  is  at  the  same  time  determined,  what  is  sealed 
and  what  is  the  import  of  the  act  of  sealing.  But  Mr.  M, 
says,  "  the  sealing  ordinances,  by  which  the  external  cove- 
nant is  sealed  and  confirmed,  do  equally  seal  and  confirm  the 
covenant  of  grace."  p.  3(3.  Upon  which  it  may  be  observed 
that,  to  be  consistent,  it  will  follow, 

vol..  in.  21 


162  BAPTISM   AND  THE  LORu's  SUPPER 

1.  That  when  a  graceless  man  seals  the  external  graceless 
covenant,  binding  himself  to  perform  all  the  graceless  duties 
which  it  requires  ;  he  does  at  the  same  time  equally  seal   the 
covenant  of  grace,  and   equally   bind  himself  to  perform  all 
the  gracious  duties  which  this  requires.     And  whereas  these 
two  covenants  require  religious  exercises  of  a  contrary  nature, 
even  as  contrary  as  graceless  and  gracious,  which,  in  other 
words,  are  as  contrary  as  sin  and  holiness  ;  so  Mr.  M.'s  un- 
converted covenanter,  in  the  act  of  sealing  these  two  contrary 
covenants,   binds   himself   to    perform    all     religious   duties 
in  these  two  contrary  manners  ;  and  that  at  the  same  time; 
for  he   binds   himself  by  sealing  both   covenants  at  once, 
to  perform  every  duty  as  both  covenants  require,  from  day 
to  day,  as  long  as  he  lives  ;  and  every  time  he  comes  to  the 
Lord's  tnble,  he  binds  himself  afresh.     But  our  Saviour  says, 
JVo  man  can  serve  two  masters.     Besides,  on  this  plan,  the 
door  of  the  visible  church  is  shut  against  all  who  know  them- 
selves to  be  graceless.     For  they  cannot  make  a  profession  of 
a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  and   so  the  end 
and  design  of  Mr.  M.'s  whole  scheme  is  frustrated. 

2.  It  will  also  follow  from  Mr.  M.'s  own  words,  that  when 
a  godly  man,  Abraham,  for  instance,  sealed  the  external  co- 
venant and  the  covenant  of  grace,  both  at  once,  he  equally 
bound  himself  through  life  to  perform  all  religious  duties,  both 
in  a  gracious  and  ungracious  manner,  at  the  same  time.     But 
how  could  Abraham,  at  the  same  time,  serve  these  two  contra- 
ry masters,  requiring  things  as  contrary  as  sin  and  holiness  r 
Or  how  could  he,  being  a  godly  man,  with  a  good  con- 
science, bind  himself  by  covenant  to  perform  all  religious  du- 
ties in  an  unholy  manner  ?  Surely   he  could  not  do  it !  and 
so  on  Mr.  M.'s  plan  the  door  of  the  visible  church  is  shut 
against  both   the  godly  and  the  wicked.     The  godly  cannot 
come  to  sacraments,  because  they  are  seals  of  an  unholy  co- 
venant, binding  them  to  live  in  a  course  of  unholy  duties  ;  and 
the  ungodly,  knowing  themselves  to  be  such,  cannot  come, 
because  they  are  seals  of  a  holy  covenant,  binding  them  to 
live  infa  course  of  holy  duties  '.     Therefore, 

I  Mr.  M.  thinks,  that  there  "  was  a  manifest  propriety  in  choosing  Abraham, 
•a  m»o  of  eminent  holiness,"  ta  be  the  head  of  this  graceless  covenant,  p.  9. — Bur 


ARE  SEALS  OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  (MiACE.  lt>3 

3.  .Mr.  M.  must  give  up  the  common  notion  of  a  seal,  as 
declaring  a  present  compliance  with,  and  hinding  both  par- 
lies to  act  up  to,  what  is  contained  in  the  written  instrument, 
or  else  he  must  honestly  leave  the  covenant  of  grace  out  of 
the  written  instrument,  or  he  must  give  up  his  scheme  as 
wholly  inconsistent.  To  solve  this  diihculty  he  says,  "  in 
their  primary  reference  they  may  be  seals  of  the  external  co- 
venant ;  and  yet,  consistently  in  their  ultimate  reference, 
may  be  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace."  p.  36. — But  if  they 
in  fact  really  seal  both  covenants,  then  the  man  who  comes 
to  the  sacraments,  does  in  fact  really  bind  himself  to  fulfil 
both  covenants.  For,  let  him  ask  any  lawyer  on  the  conti- 
nent, and  he  will  be  told  that  by  sealing  a  "  written  instru- 
ment," if  it  contains  two  or  ten  covenants,  we  oblige  ourselves 
either  to  fulfil  all  of  them,  or  none  of  them.  The  truth  is, 
Mr.  M.  had  proposed  this  objection  against  his  scheme,  viz. 
"  The  preceding  discourse  represents  the  scaling  ordinances 
of  the  Gospel,  not  as  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  but  of 
the  external  covenant  with  the  visible  church."  And  he  had 
no  way  to  get  rid  of  it,  according  to  his  scheme,  but  to  run 
into  these  inconsistencies,  or  roundly  to  deny  the  received 
doctrine  of  the  Christian  church,  that  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper  are  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  He  has  denied 
it  implicitly  :  but  he  did  not  choose  to  deny  it  expressly  ;  but 
»eems  to  own  it ;  and  so  runs  himself  into  these  inconsisten- 
cies. 

But  if  we  turn  our  eyes  off  from  Mr.  M.'s  inconsistent 
scheme,  to  the  New  Testament,  which  was  designedly  adapt- 
ed to  the  capacities  of  common  people,  we  shall  see  not  the 
least  appearance  of  two  covenants,  of  which  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  supper  are  the  appointed  seals  ;  we  shall  find  no  cove- 
nant but  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  no  Gospel,  but  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ,  which  promises  pardon  and  eternal  salvation  to 
the  penitent  believer;  and  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are 

J  am  of  our  Saviour's  mind,  Matt.  xii.  33.  Either  make  the  tree  good,  and  his 
fruit  good }  or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt,  and  his  fruit  corrupt.  Let  holy 
\bniliam  be  at  the  head  of  a  holy  covenant ;  but  let  some  graceless  professor  be 
at  the  head  of  Mr.  M.'s  external  graceless  covenant.  For  it  was  contrary  to  the 
Jewish  law  to  uoke  an  ox  and  an  ass  tog-ether.  And,  saith  the  apostle  Paul. 
irhat  fellowship  hath  righteousness  -with  unrighteousness  ? 


164  BAPTISM  AND  THE  LORD'S  SUPPEE 

represented  as  seals  to  no  other  covenant  but  this. — JFor,  to 
use  Mr.  M/s  phrase, 

In  the  "  written  instrument"  Gon  promises  salvation  to 
the  true  believer.  Mark  xvi.  16.  Therefore,  if  thou  believest 
with  all  thine  heart,  thou  mauest  be  active  in  receiving  the 
seal  of  the  covenant,  said  Philip,  divinely  inspired.  Acts 
viii.  37- 

Again.  In  the  "  written  instrument"  GOD  promises  re- 
mission of  sins  to  the  true  penitent  through  Jesus  Christ, 
Luke  xxiv.  47.  Therefore,  repent  and  be  baptised  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  for  the  remission  of  sins,  Acts  ii.  38.  (that 
is,  comply  with  the  covenant,  and  then  be  active  in  receiv- 
ing the  seal ;)  was  the  language  of  a  divinely  inspired  apos- 
tle.— And  another  divinely  inspired  minister  of  Christ,  al- 
ready knowing  the  man  to  be  a  true  penitent,  and  so  pre- 
pared to  be  active  in  receiving  the  seal  of  the  covenant,  said, 
arise,  and  be  baptised,  and  zcash  away  thy  sins,  calling  on  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  Acts  xxii.  16. — Thus  we  see  what  cove- 
nant is  ratified  and  confirmed  by  this  seal, on  GOD'S  part. 

And  because  the  apostolic  professors,  in  offering  them- 
selves to  baptism,  and  in  being  active  in  receiving  the  seal  of 
the  covenant,  did  on  their  part  thereby  bind  themselves  to 
live  according  to  all  things  contained  in  it,  therefore  Paul 
said,  Gal.  iii.  27-  As  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptised  into 
Christ,  have  put  on  Christ ;  not  put  on  the  external  cove- 
nant ;  but  put  on  Christ,  i.  e.  put  on  Christianity  ;  so  as  to  be 
entitled  to  the  heavenly  Canaan,  granting  their  hearts  to 
answer  to  their  external  conduct ;  for  he  adds,  ver.  29.  And 
if  ye,  art  Christ's,  then  arc  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  ac- 
cording to  promise.  Heirs  to  what  ?  To  all  the  blessings  of 
the  covenant;  particularly  to  the  heavenly  Canaan,  of  which 
the  earthly  Canaan  was  a  type,  and  which  Paul  had  just  said, 
was  given  to  Abraham  by  promise,  ver.  IS. 

And  because  in  baptism/ln  the  apostolic  age,  men  pro- 
fessed a  cordial  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  and 
bound  themselves  in  all  things  to  be  affected  and  act  accord- 
ingly ;  therefore,  when  it  was  objected  that  Paul's  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith  without  works,  tended  to  make  men  li- 
centious, and  to  encourage  them  to  live  in  sin,  that  grace 


ARE  SEALS  O-F  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE. 

might  abound  ;  he  thought  it  sufficient  to  say,  "  this  can  ne- 
ver be,  for  we  have  been  baptised,  and  so  we  are  dead  to  sin 
and  alive  to  GOD."  "  Shall  we  continue  in  sin,  that  grace 
may  abound  ?  God  forbid  :  how  shall  we  that  are  dead  to 
sin,  live  any  longer  therein  ?  Know  ye  not  that  so  many  of 
us  as  were  baptised  into  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptised  into  his 
death  ?  therefore  we  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into 
death  :  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by 
the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness 
of  life ;  for  if  we  have  been  in  baptism  planted  together  in  the 
likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his 
resurrection. — For  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you  ;  for 
ye  are  not  under  law,  but  under  grace."  Rom.  vi.  1 — 14. 
Which  proves,  that  in  bnptisrn  they  professed  a  compliance 
with  Christianity  itself,  and  not  with  Mr.  M.'s  external  grace- 
less covenant,  with  which  a  man  may  comply,  while  under 
the  dominion  of  sin. 

And  indeed,  for  men  to  come  to  the  apostles  to  be  bap- 
tised in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  could  consistently  mean  nothing  less  than  a 
public  practical  declaration  of  a  present  compliance  with 
what  the  Gospel  reveals  concerning  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost;  and  an  engagement  to  act  accordingly  in 
all  future  time ;  in  which  the  whole  of  Christianity  consists. 
To  believe  what  the  Gospel  reveals  concerning  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ;  and  to  receive  God  for  our  Father, 
and  Christ  for  our  mediator,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  for  our  en- 
lightener  and  sanctifier ;  and  to  be  affected  and  acl  accord- 
ingly, is  the  whole  of  Christianity.  But  to  be  active  in  offer- 
ing ourselves  to  be  baptised  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  in  the  very  act  to 
refuse  in  our  hearts,  and  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  have  God 
for  our  Father,  or  Christ  for  our  Saviour,  or  the  Holy  Ghost 
for  our  sanctifier,  is  to  contradict  ourselves  in  the  sight  of 
God.  It  is  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  to  renounce 
Christianity  in  heart,  at  the  very  moment  when  we  embrace 
it  in  our  visible  conduct.  But  such  wicked  dissimulation  is 
not  an  appointed  means  of  grace. 


BAPTISM  AND  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER 

As  to  the  Lord's  supper,  our  Saviour  teacheth  us,  that  it  iv 
the  seal  of  the  new  covenant,  in  which  remission  of  sins  is  of- 
fered through  the  blood  of  Christ.  Mat.  xxvi.  28.  For  this 
is  my  blood  of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many,  for 
the  remission  of  sins.  Which  is  essentially  different  from 
Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  by  which  no  remission  of  sins  can 
be  obtained. 

At  the  Lord's  table,  Christ,  by  the  mouth  of  his  minister, 
says,  this  is  my  body,  take  ye,  eat  ye  all  of  it.  This  is  my 
blood,  take  ye,  drink  ye  all  of  it.  Hereby  sealing  to  the  truth 
contained  in  the  "written  instrument."  But  it  is  therein 
written  in  so  many  words,  "  I  am  the  living  bread,  which 
came  down  from  heaven  ;  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he 
shall  live  for  ever  :  and  the  bread  that  1  will  give  him  is  my 
flesh,  which  I  give  for  the  life  of  the  world.  He  that  eateth 
my  flesh,  and  driuketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in 
him."  John  vi  51.  06.  Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  is 
sealed  on  Christ's  part.  On  the  other  hand  the  communicant, 
by  his  practice,  declares,  "  1  take  his  flesh,  and  eat  it.  I  take 
his  blood,  and  drink  it,"  and  seals  the  covenant  ou  his  part ; 
and  thus  the  "  written  instrument"  is  externally  and  visibly 
sealed,  ratified,  and  confirmed  on  both  sides,  with  as  much 
formality  as  any  "  written  instrument"  is  mutually  sealed  by 
the  parties  in  any  covenant  among  men.  And  now  if  both 
parties  are  sincere  in  the  covenant  thus  sealed  ;  and  if  both 
abide  by  and  act  according  to  it,  the  communicant  will  be 
saved.  For  salvation  is  promised  in  the  "  written  instru- 
ment" to  those  who  eat  his  ftesh  and  drink  his  Mood.  John 
vi.  51.  This  promise  is  sealed  by  Christ  at  the  Lord's  table. 
The  condition  of  it  is  externally  complied  with,  in  the  sacra- 
mental actions,  by  the  communicant,  who  visibly  eats  his 
flesh  and  drinks  his  blood.  And  if  the  exercises  of  his  heart 
answer  to  his  external  actions,  the  covenant  is  on  his  part 
complied  with,  sealed,  ratified,  and  confirmed.  And  if  the 
Gospel  is  true,  he  will  be  saved. 

But  if  the  communicant's  heart  does  not  answer  to  his  ex- 
ternal sacramental  actions;  but  on  the  contrary,  if  when  he 
visibly  and  sacramentally  eats  his  flesh  and  drinks  his  blood, 
even  at  that  very  time,  in  his  heart  and  in  the  sight  of  God, 


ARE  SEALS  OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE.  107 

he  rejects  his  flesh  and  his  blood,  his  atonement,  and  all  the 
blessings  purchased  by  his  death,  his  visible  actions  are  a  lie : 
and  lying  is  not  a  converting  ordinance. 

An  impenitent  sinner  under  legal  terrors  may  forsake  bad 
company,  lay  aside  the  practice  of  uncleanness,  of  drunken- 
ness, of  backbiting,  of  lying  and  cheating,  &c.  he  may  tnako 
restitution  to  those  whom  he  has  injured  in  name  and  estate  : 
he  may  spend  much  time  in  hearing  and  reading  the  word  of 
God,  in  meditating  on  death  arid  judgment,  heaven  and  hell, 
in  comparing  his  thoughts,  words,  and  actions,  with  the  law  of 
God,  and   with  the  gospel  of  Christ:    and  he   may  spend 
much  time  in  secret  prayer,  and  in   Irving  to  get  his  heart 
deeply  affected  with  eternal  things,  &c.  &c.  without  lying. 
And  thus  reforming  his  life,  and  attending  these  means,  may 
be  useful  to  promote  a  conviction  of  his  sinful,  guilty,  help- 
less, ruined  state:   But  lying  tends  to  sear  his  conscience  and 
hearden  his  heart  in   sin.     To  make  a  profession  of  a  com- 
pliance with   the  covenant  of  grace  with  his  mouth,  when 
he  knows  he  does  not  comply  with  it  in  his  heart;  and  to 
renew  this  covenant  at  the  table  of  the  Lord   in  visible  ac- 
tions,   while   he   continues   to   reject  it  in    his  heart,  and 
knows  this  to  be  the  case  with  him,  is  wilful  lying,  and  tends 
directly  to  the  eternal  ruin  of  the  sinner's  immortal  soul. 

OBJECT.  By  my  sacramental  actions  I  mean  to  acknow- 
ledge, that  the  gospel  is  true ;  but  not  to  profess  a  compli- 
ance with  it.  p.  41. 

ANSW.  Should  your  neighbour  tre.it  you  thus,  in  any  co- 
venant depending  between  you  ;  should  he  say,  "  I  own  the 
things  contained  in  it  are  true,  but  I  do  not  mean  to  bind  my- 
self to  fulfil  the  covenant,  by  signing  and  sealing  it  before 
evidence  ;"  you,  and  all  the  world,  would  look  upon  him  as  • 
dishonest  quibbler. 

OBJ.  But  1  mean  to  have  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  deeply 
impressed  upon  my  heart  by  the  ordinance."  p.  41. 

ANSW.  This  end  might  be  as  well  obtained,  if  you  tarried 
as  a  spectator.  Those  who  stand  by  as  witnesses,  when  a 
bond  is  signed  and  sealed,  may  know  what  is  done,  as  well  as 
those  who  are  parties,  and  who  bind  themselves.  Men  that 
mean  not  to  bind  themselves  should  not  sign  and  seal  the 


1(J8  IT  CANNOT  BE   DETERMINED  WHAT 

bond.  No  one  seals  a  bond,  unless  he  means  to  bind  bimself 
to  fulfil  it.  Sbould  a  man  offer  to  sign  and  seal  a  bond, 
which  he  did  not  mean  to  bind  himself  to  fulfil,  in  order  to 
get  his  heart  affected  with  what  is  contained  in  it,  his  neigh- 
bours would  think  him  delirious. 

OBJ.  But  I  mean  to  bind  myself  to  "  endeavour"  to  ful- 
fil it ;  i.  e.  to  "  endeavour  to  conform  my  practice  to  the 
rules  of  it."  p.  2 1 . 

ANS.  Should  you  offer  your  house  and  farm  to  your  neigh- 
bour upon  the  most  reasonable  terms,  which  if  he  had  a  heart 
he  might  fulfil  with  ease  and  pleasure,  Mat.  xi.  28,  2Q.  Prov. 
iii.  17-;  and  should  he  plainly  tell  you,  that  at  present  he 
could  not  find  it  in  his  heart  to  comply  with  your  offer;  nor 
could  he  promise  that  he  ever  should  comply  ;  but  however 
he  was  willing  to  bind  himself  to  "  endeavour"  to  comply,  and 
no  more;  you  would  doubtless  think  best  to  put  off  the  bar- 
gain till  you  should  find  him  of  another  temper.  And  what 
our  Saviour  thinks  best  in  the  present  case,  is  most  plainly  ex- 
pressed in  Luke  xiv.  25 — 33. 


SECTION  VI. 

It  cannot  be  determined  what  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  re- 
quires, and  wherein  a  real  compliance  with  it  doth  consist, 
so  that  any  man  can  ever  know  that  he  has  complied  with  it. 

NEGATIVELY,  Mr.  M.  has  determined  with  great  exact- 
ness, what  it  does  not  require,  and  what  is  not  necessary  in  or- 
der to  a  perfect  compliance  with  it :  viz.  holiness.  For  it 
requires  no  holiness  at  all  :  no,  not  the  least  spark  of  true 
grace.  So  that,  if  we  could  know  what  it  did  require,  it 
might  be  perfectly  complied  with  by  one  who  is  quite  dead 
in  sin.  This  is  very  plain. 

Positively  he  has  not  determined  what  it  does  require,  so 
that  any  man  can  ever  know  that  he  has  complied  with  it ; 
nor  can  it  be  determined  by  him,  or  by  any  other.  For  it 


MR.  M.'S  EXTERNAL  COVENANT  REQUIRES. 

cannot  he  determined  from  scripture,  for  the  scripture  knows 
nothing  about  such  a  covenant,  either  name  or  thing.  And 
it  cannot  he  determined  from  reason  ;  for  it  is  supposed  to  be 
a  matter  of  pure  revelation. 

indeed,  Mr.  M.  has  attempted  to  settle  this  matter  :  he  says, 
p.  21.  "  I  will  allow,  that  none  but  such  as  profess  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  and  will  endeavour  to  conform  his  practice  to 
the  rules  of  it,  ought  to  be  admitted  into  the  church."  Upon 
which  it  may  be  observed, 

1.  That  Abraham  made  no  profession  at  all  of  any  faith, 
but  of  a  saving  faith.     He  believed  in  the  Lord,  and  it  was 
counted  to  him  for  righteousness.     And  if  Abraham  is  to  be 
our  pattern,  as  Mr.  M.  insists,  then  we  must  make  a  profes- 
sion of  this  faith,  or  of  none.     To  set  aside  Abraham's  faith, 
which  was,  as  James  asserts,  a  living  faith  ;  and  to  introduce 
into  its  room  a  dead  faith,  which  James  calls  the  faith  ofde- 
viis ;  and  to  substitute  this  in  the  stead  of  the  faith  of  Abra- 
ham, and  to  put  God's  seal,  which  belongs  to  God's  cove- 
nant, to  this  new  invented  covenant  of  human  device,  is  not 
"  to  conform  our  practice  to  the  rules"  of  God's  word  ;  not 
so  much  as  to  "  endeavour"  it.  Besides, 

2.  Mr.  M.  says,  p.  7.  "  That  by  which  ANY  ONE  was  to 
enter  into  this"  external  "  covenant,  was  an  external  mark 
in  the  flesh."     But  faith,  although  a  dead  faith,  is  an  inter- 
nal thing,  and   is   as  much   invisible,   as  any  other   mental 
qualification  whatsoever  :  and  therefore  is  not  necessary  on 
his  scheme  to  be  in  the  heart  of  the  professor :  nor  need  he 
profess  it  to  be  in  his  heart.     For  "  to  require  more  of  the 
person  to  be  admitted  into  the  church,  than  is  made  necessa- 
ry by  the  covenant  on  which  it  is  framed,  is  really  absurd." 
p.  22.     For  to  imitate  his  manner  of  reasoning,  it  may  be 
said,  "  to  set  this  matter  in  the  clearest  light,  an  infidel,  or 
an  atheist,  with  a  fair  profession   of  the  external  covenant, 
when  he  is  received  into   the  visible  church,  on  Mr.  M.'s 
scheme,  is  in  the  sight  of  God  either  a  member  of  it,  or  he  is 
not.     If  he  is  a  member,  then  the  faith  of  devils  is  not  neces- 
sary.    If  he  is  not,  then  on  Mr.  M.'s  scheme  there  can  be 
no  visible  church."     This  is  Mr.  M.'s   manner  of  reasoning, 

VOL,  HI.  22 


J70  IT  CANNOT  BE    DETERMINED  WHAT 

p.  49  *•  I  hope  this  may  show  the  inconsistence  of  exclud- 
ing a  living  faith,  because  it  is  an  invisible  tnental  qualifica- 
tion ;  and  yet  retaining  a  dead  faith,  which  is  equally  an  in- 
visible mental  qualification.  To  make  Mr.  M.'s  scheme  con- 
sistent, no  mental  qualification  ought  to  be  professed.  No- 
thing but  baptism,  which  is  substituted  in  the  room  of  cir- 
cumcision, is  needful.  Baptism  alone,  without  any  profes- 
sion at  all,  is  the  only  requisite  to  constitute  any  man  a  mem- 
ber of  Mr.  M.'s  visible  church.  But  in  the  apostolic  age  no 
man  was  ever  received  into  the  visible  church  by  baptism 
alone,  without  a  profession.  Mr.  M.  is  obliged  therefore  to 
allow  of  the  necessity  of  a  profession.  But  this  supposes  the 
necessity  of^  some  mental,  invisible^  internal  qualification  to 
be  professed  :  but  this  is  inconsistent  with  the  notion,  that 
nothing  is  necessary  but  what  is  external  and  visible.  So  his 
scheme  cannot  hang  together. — Besides, 

3.  To  have  no  other  faith  than  the  devil  has,  and  to  pro- 
fess no  other  faith  than  he  has  professed,  is  not  to  enter  into 
covenant  with  God,  unless  the  devil  is  in  covenant  with  God. 
Therefore  let  the  articles  of  faith  to  which  professors  give 
their  assent  be  ever  so  orthodox,  and  their  profession  be  ever 

x  These  are  Mr.  M.'s  words.  "  To  set  this  matter  in  the  clearest  light ;  an 
unregenerate  man,  with  a  fair  profession  of  religion,  when  received  into  the  visi- 
ble church,  is  in  reality  either  a  member  of  it,  or  he  is  not :  if  he  is  a  member, 
his  union  must  be  constituted  by  something  besides  the  covenant  of  grace,  which 
extends  to  none  but  such  as  have  true  grace  in  heart :  but  if  he  is  not  in  reality  a 
member  of  the  visible  church,  then  there  can  be  no  such  thing  as  a  visible  church, 
that  has  a  real  existence."  Answ.  The  visible  union  of  the  visible  church  is  con- 
stituted by  a  visible  credible  profession  of  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  oi' 
grace  :  just  as  their  real  union  is  constituted  by  a  real  compliance  with  the  cove- 
nant of  grace. 

To  set  this  matter  in  the  clearest  light ;  in  a  Spanish  milled  dollar  there  is  a 
certain  quantity  of  silver,  the  stamp,  &tc. — Silver  is  essential  to  a  real  dollar.  If 
there  is  no  silver  in  the  seeming  dollar,  it  is  not  a  real  dollar,  but  a  counterfeit 
one.  So  here — If  a  body  of  men  profess  friendship  to  Christ,  they  are  a  visible 
church  of  Christ:  but  if  there  is  no^friendship  in  their  hearts,  they  are  like  the 
counterfeit  dollar. 

Should  any  one  object,  "  a  pewter  dollar,  with  a  good  stamp,  and  well  washed 
over,  is  a  real  dollar,  or  it  is  not :  if  it  is  a  real  dollar,  then  silver  is  not  essential 
to  a  real  dollar :  if  it  is  not  a  real  dollar,  then  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  visible 
dollar  in  the  world  :"  would  any  man  by  such  logic  as  this,  be  induced  to  receive 
pewter  dollars,  professedly  such,  in  pay  for  his  whole  estate  ? 


MR.  M/S  EXTERNAL  COVENANT    REQUIRES.  1?1 

so  true ;  yet  if  they  profess  only  "  a  simple  belief  of  the  sim- 
ple truth,"  it  is  not  a  visible  entering  into  covenant  with  God. 
It  is  not  a  covenanting  transaction.  Where  there  is  no  con- 
sent of  the  will  professed,  there  is  no  covenant  visibly  made, 
in  any  case  whatsoever.  But  if  they  profess  not  only  to  be- 
lieve, but  to  love  the  truth,  this  is  what  no  ungodly  man 
can  understandingly  and  honestly  do.  For  to  receive  the 
truth  i»  the  love  of  it,  is  the  scripture  character  of  a  true  saint. 
2  Thes.  ii.  10.  And  so  did  Abraham,  the  father  of  all  believ- 
ers.  So  again, 

4.  "  To  conform  our  practice  to  the  rules  of  the  Christian 
religion,"  ii  to  be  real  Christians.     This  therefore  must  not 
be  professed.     But  without  this,  there  is  no  compliance  with 
the  Gospel  covenant.     He  who  does  conform  his  practice  to 
the  rules  of  the  Gospel,  does  really  comply  with  the  Gospel. 
And  he  who  doth  not,  does  really  reject  it.     The  one  will  go 
to  heaven,  and  the  other  will  go  to  hell.     In  this  we  are  all 
agreed. 

5.  But  Mr.  M .  says,  they  must  profess,  that  they  "  will  en- 
deavour" to  conform  their  practice  to  the  rules  of  the  chris- 
tian  religion. — But,  pray,  how  much  must  they  endeavour  ? 
Not  so  much  as  actually  to  conform  :  for  in  this  real  Chris- 
tianity consists.     How  much  then  ?  Can  any  man  tell  ?  Will 
you  say,  "  as  much  as  they  can  ?"  What !  quite  as  much  ? 
What,  every  day,  every  hour  of  their  lives?    This  is  what  no 
ungodly  man  ever  did,  or  ever  will  do.     Will  you  say,  "  they 
must  sincerely  endeavour  ?"    But  how  sincere  must  ungodly 
men  be  ?  "  As  sincere  as  they  can  ?"    What,  quite  as  sincere 
as  they  can,  every  day  and  every  hour  ?    This  is  what  no  un- 
godly man  ever  was,  or  ever  will  be. — Will  you  say,  "  they 
must  endeavour  so  much,  and  so  sincerely,  as  to  keep  from  open 
scandal  ?"    But  is  this  enough  ?    What  if  they  live  allowedly 
in  secret  sins,  in  enmity  to  God,  in  enmity  to  their  neighbours, 
in  stealing,  in  adultery,  in  sodomy  ?    Will  this  do  ?     Is  this 
enough  in  the  sight  of  God  and  conscience,  that  they  are 
free  from  open  scandal,  while  they  live  secretly  in  such  and 
such  like  sins  ?    Will  you  say,  "  no — they  must  endeavour  to 
forsake  all  sin,  and  to  conform  their  practice  to  all  the  rules 
of  the  Christian  religion  ?"     But  the  question  still  returns,  how 


172  IT  CANNOT  BE  DETERMINED  WHAT 

much  must  they  endeavour  ?  Not  so  much  as  to  get  free 
from  the  dominion  of  sin.  For  this  is  peculiar  to  the  godly. 
Rom.  vi.  14.  How  much  then  ?  No  son  of  Adam  can  ever 
tell! 

It  can  be  determined  what  that  repentance  toward  God, 
and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is,  which  the  Gospel 
requires;  and  a  man  may  know  when  he  complies  with  the 
Gospel  covenant;  but  it  cannot  be  determined  what  Mr.  M.'s 
external  covenant  requires  ;  nor  can  any  man  know  when 
he  complies  with  it. 

The  lowest  degree  of  true  grace  is  a  real  and  saving  com- 
pliance with  the  Gospel  covenant.  This  is  life  eternal,  to 
know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou 
hast  sent.  John  xvii.  3.  Where  saving  grace  begins,  it  shall 
end  in  glory.  Its  special  nature  can  be  as  certainly  deter- 
mined, as  the  nature  of  the  Gospel-way  of  salvation  can  ; 
for  it  consists  in  a  compliance  with  the  Gospel.  But  this  ex- 
ternal covenant  is  neither  law  nor  Gospel. 

No  man  will  say,  that  "  the  least  degree  of  endeavour," 
which  ever  takes  place  in  an  ungodly  man,  is  all  that  is  re- 
quired, to  bring  men  into  the  external  covenant.  Nor  will 
any  man  say,  "  that  the  greatest  degree  of  endeavour"  that 
ever  takes  place  in  an  ungodly  man,  is  necessary  to  this  end. 
Nor  can  any  man  fix  upon  any  certain  degree,  between  the 
least  and  the  greatest,  that  is  the  very  degree  necessary  to  bring 
a  man  into  this  covenant.  It  is  a  blind  affair,  and  is  adapt- 
ed only  to  a  blind  conscience. 

Every  ungodly  man,  whose  conscience  is  thoroughly  awa- 
kened to  know  the  truth  about  himself,  knows  that  he  is  dead 
in  sin,  an  enemy  to  God,  "  utterly  indisposed,  disabled,  and 
opposite  to  all  good,  and  wholly  inclined  to  all  evil ;"  as  Mr. 
M.  will  allow.  And  therefore,  were  such  men  to  make  a 
profession  of  the  truth,  they,  would  profess  this  ;  and  confess 
themselves  to  be  altogether  helpless  and  undone,  under  the 
wrath  of  God,  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  condemned  by  the 
Gospel;  (John  iii.  18.  36.  Gal.  iii.  10.)  and  incapable  of 
entering  into  covenant  with  God,  (Ps.  1.  16.)  and  coming  in- 
to the  kingdom  of  Christ,  until  they  are  born  again.  (John 
iii.  5.) — And  how  much  soever  pains  such  may  ake,  to  escape 


MF.  M/S  EXTERNAL    COVENANT    ESQUIRES.  1?S 

everlasting  burnings,  they  can  never  think,  that  this  labour 
of  theirs  brings  them  into  covenant  with  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel,  so  long  as  they  find  themselves  dead  in  sin,  enemies 
to  God,  and  rejecters  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  rather  in  the  midst 
of  all  their  diligence  and  endeavours,  they  do,  as  Mr.  M. 
elsewhere  observes y,  "  in  their  own  apprehensions  grow 
worse  and  worse," 

Yea,  the  best  saint  on  earth  would  not  dare,  with  his  eyes 
open,  to  enter  into  covenant  with  the  holy  One  of  Israel,  with- 
out a  mediator;  or  in  the  neglect  of  him  whom  God  has 
provided  on  the  foot  of  his  own  righteousness.  No  saint 
can  have  impudence  enough,  with  his  eyes  open,  to  offer 
such  a  thing  to  God.  For  such  know  no  way  lo  come  to 
the  Father  but  by  the  Son.  John  xiv.  6.  But  self-righteous 
sinners,  with  stupid  consciences,  are  good  enough  10  come 
nigh  to  God  in  their  own  names,  and  enter  into  covenant 
with  God  in  their  own  strength,  and  in  their  own  righteous- 
ness, while  with  their  whole  heart  they  reject  the  mediator  and 
the  sanctifier  revealed  in  the  Gospel.  But  that  baptism  and 
the  Lord's  supper  should  be  so  degraded  and  prostituted,  as 
to  become  seals  to  this  self-righteous  graceless  covenant  of 
works,  must  be  not  a  little  shocking  to  many  pious  minds. 
Nor  indeed  can  sinners  under  deep  and  genuine  conviction 
come  into  this  scheme.  For, 

This  external  covenant  is  not  adapted  to  the  state  of  a  sin- 
ner under  genuine  and  deep  conviction.  For  it  is  with  such 
agreeable  to  Rom.  vii.  9.  The  commandment  camt,  sin  rtvived, 
and  I  died.  Rather  it  is  suited  only  to  the  hearts  of  secure, 
self-flattering,  self-righteous  sinners,  of  blind  and  stupid  con- 
sciences ;  and  is  of  no  use  but  to  build  them  up  in  their  self- 
righteous  ways  ;  to  lead  them  to  cry,  "  we  have  Abraham  to 
our  father,  yea,  we  have  one  father,  even  God ;"  when,  in  the 
language  of  Christ,  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus,  they  are  the 
children  of  the  Devil,  and  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  them. 
Mat.  iii.  9.  John  viii.  39 — 44.  John  iii.  36- 

y  Sermon  on  Rom.  ix.  14,  15.  p.  28. 


17'4  VARIOUS  DISTINCTIONS  STATED. 

SECTION  VII. 

Various  distinctions  stated,  to  render  the  subject  more  easy  to 
be  understood  by  Christians  of  the  weakest  capacities,  and 
to  enable  them  to  answer  the  usual  objections,  at  least  to 
their  own  satisfaction. 

1.  WE  are  to  distinguish  between  objections,  which  are 
taken  from  the  nature  of  the  covenant,  as  contained  in  the 
written  instrument,  and  those  objections  which  are  taken 
from  the  character  of  many  thai  have  sealed  it.  If  there 
was  not  one  unholy  graceless  duty  required  of  Abraham,  in 
that  covenant,  Gen.  xvii.  ;  with  which  he  complied,  and 
which  he  sealed,  Mr.  M.  must  lose  his  cause,  although  the 
names  and  seals  of  thousands  of  graceless  hypocrites  are  found 
annexed  to  it.  For  the  nature  of  a  written  covenant  is  to  be 
determined  from  the  contents  of  it,  and  not  from  the  hypo- 
crisy of  the  men  that  have  signed  and  sealed  it.  As  for  exam- 
ple, suppose  we  have  a  bond  of  1000  /.  signed  and  sealed  by  a 
man  not  worth  a  groat  ;  it  alters  not  the  case,  the  bond  is  a 
bond  of  1000  /.  as  much  as  if  it  was  signed  and  sealed  by  a; 
-man  ever  so  rich.  For  all  mankind  are  agreed  in  this,  that 
the  nature  of  the  bond  is  to  be  determined  from  the  contents 
of  the  written  instrument,  and  not  from  the  poverty  or  knave- 
ry of  the  signers  and  sealers. 

If  the  covenant  with  Abraham  was  the  covenant  of  grace, 
yet  possibly  thousands  of  graceless  men  might  be  active  in 
sealing  it.  Or  if  the  covenant  with  Abraham  required  only 
freedom  from  open  scandal,  yet  possibly  it  might  be  sealed 
by  thousands  who  lived  in  open  scandal.  The  ten  tribes, 
for  aught  that  appears,  practised  circumcision  without  one 
exception  ;  and  yet  they  lived  in  open  idolatry  from  the  time 
of  their  revolt  to  their  captivity.  That  is,  about  250  years. 
And  if  we  are  to  determine  the  nature  of  the  covenant  from 
the  character  of  the  sealers  ;  then  from  this,  it  will  follow,  that 
freedom  from  open  idolatry  was  not  required  of  the  Israelites, 
in  the  covenant  which  they  were  under,  and  of  which  cir- 
cumcision was  a  seal. 


VARIOUS  DISTINCTIONS  STATE*.  175 

2.  We  ought  to  distinguish  between  Jact  and  right,  and  to 
understand,  that  there  is  no  conclusive  arguing  from  the  one 
lo  the  other.     As  for  instance  :  It  is  fact  that  there  were 
tares  sowed  in  the  field  ;  but  it  does  not  follow,  that  it  was 
right  that  the  servants  should  sow  them  there :  this  was  the 
work  of  the  devil. — It  is  fact,  that  there  was  a  man  who  came 
into  the  visible  church  without  a  wedding  garment ;  but  it 
does  not  follow,  that  it  was  right  for  him  so  to  do. — It  is 
fact,  that  there  were  false  professors,  who  unawares  crept  into 
the   apostolic  churches;  but  it  does  not  follow  that  it  was 
right,  that  they  should  creep  in  thither. — It  is  fact,  that  the 
net  gathered  bad  fishes  as  well  as  good  ;  but  it  does  not  follow 
that  the  fishermen  were  employed  to  gather  any  but  good 
fish. — It  is  fact,  that  in  the  apostolic  age,  some  impenitent 
hypocrites  made  a  profession  of  faith  and  repentance,  and 
were  baptised  ;  but  it  does  not  follow  that  it  was  right  in 
them  to  make  such  a  false  profession. — It  is  fact,  that  the 
Israelites  at  Mount  Sinai  made  a  false  profession,  that  they 
lied  to  GOD  with  their  tongues,  and  flattered  him  with  their 
lips ;  but  it  does  not  follow,  either  that  it  was  right  for  them 
to  do  as  they  did,  or  that  it  is  right  for  us  to  imitate  their 
wicked  example. — It  is  fact,  that  there  have  been  in  all  ages 
graceless  men  in  the  visible  church  ;  but  it  does  not  follow, 
either  that  they  had  a  right  to  be  there,  or  that  we  ought  to 
lay  aside  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  to  introduce  a  graceless- 
covenant  merely  in  order  to  open  a  door  for  their  regular  ad- 
mission.— It  is  fact,  when  the  doctrines  and  discipline  of  the 
Gospel  are  brought  down  to  the  taste  of  carnal  men,  that  they 
appear  to  be  better  pleased  with  both  ;  but  it  does  not  there- 
fore follow,  that  it  would  be  right  for  ministers  to  combine  to 
set  aside  truth  and  strictness,  and  to  introduce  error  and  loose- 
ness, in  order  to  please  a  wicked  world. 

3.  There  is  a  distinction  to  be  made  between  an  adult  per- 
son's really  entering  into  covenant,  and  visibly  entering  into 
covenant.     He  who  complies  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  re- 
ally enters!  nto  it :  but  he  who  professes  to  comply  with  it, 
visibly  enters  into  it.     The  former  is  peculiar  to  the  godly  ; 
but  ungodly  men  may  do  the  latter  ;  for  none  but  the  godlj 


176  VARIOUS   DISTINCTIONS  STATED. 

comply  with  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  but  many  ungodly  men 
profess  to  comply  with  it.     And  these  are  like  dry  branches. 

4.  There  is  a  difference  between   being  in  the  covenant  of 
grace,  by  a  compliance  with  it ;  and  being  under  the  bonds 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  without  a  compliance  with  it    The 
former  is  peculiar  to  the  godly  ;  and  from  this  state  of  grace 
none  fall  away  :  the  latter  is  true  of  the  most  scandalous  pro- 
fessor.     An  adultress  woman  may  be  under  the  bonds  of 
the  marriage  covenant;  and  that  even  while  she  persists  ob- 
stinately in  her  adulteries;  but  this  gives  her  no  right  to  the 
peculiar  privileges  of  a  virtuous  wife,     in  this  sense  the  idol- 
atrous Israelites  were  in  covenant  with  God,  notwithstanding 
their  obstinacy  in  that  most  scandalous  practice   of  idolatry. 
Jer.  iii.  14.  But  this  gave  them  no  right  to  covenant  blessings. 
For  it  is  our  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace  which 
gives  an  interest  in  its  blessings  ;  and  not  our  being  under  the 
bonds  of  it.     For  the  ten  tribes,  who  are  said,  in  Jer.  iii.   14. 
to  be  married  to  the  Lord,  and  who  had  lived  in  idolatry  ever 
since  the  days  of  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat,  for  thus  playing 
the  harlot,  had  been  put  arcaij,  ver  1.  and  a  hill  ofdivarcp  had 
beengivento  them.ver.8.  They  had  been  turned  out  of  the  pro- 
mised land  and  sent  into  captivity,  above  an  hundred  years  ago. 
2  Kings  xv'ii.  rj.  And  so  had  not  only  forfeited,  but  were  actu- 
ally dispossessed  of  all  the  external  privileges  of  the  Abrahamic 
covenant :  and  yet  they  were  still  under  covenant  bonds.  And 
so  aa  excommunicated   person  may,  in  this  sense,  be   said  to 
be  in  covenant,  even  in  the  covenant  of  grace.     For  the  en- 
gagement he  came  under  to  live  according  to  that  covenant 
all  his  days,  when    he  made   a  profession  of  religion,  is  as 
binding   in  the  sight  of  God  as  ever.     But  being  in  covenant 
in  this  sense,  although   it  may  increase  obligation  and  guilt; 
yet  entitles  to  no  covenant  privileges. 

5.  We  are  to  distinguish  between  the  means  which  God  uses 
to  bring  us  to  comply   wah  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  our 
consenting  to  seal   it  in  token  of  compliance.     Those  who 
have  not  complied  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  may  attend  the 
former  without  lying  :  but   we  ought  in  all  cases  to  consent 
to  a  covenant  in  our  hearts,  before  we  are  active  in  sealing  it 
with  our  hands.      For  to  seal  a  covenant  with  our  hands, 


VARIOUS   DISTINCTIONS  STATEB.  177 

when  we  reject  it  in  our  hearts,  is  in  the  sight  of  God  to  life  ; 
but  lying  is  not  a  means  of  grace. 

6.  We  are  to  distinguish  between  the  mans  rule}  and  the 
church's  rule  of  judging  concerning  his  fitness  pubhcly  to 
enter  into  covenant,  and  publicly  to  seal  it.  The  man  him- 
self makes  his  judgment  by  looking  into  his  own  heart;  but 
the  church  makes  their  judgment  by  looking  only  to  what  is 
visible.  Just  as  it  is  when  men  swear  allegiance  to  the  king, 
and  renounce  the  pretender.  The  man  who  takes  the  oath 
of  allegiance  and  abjuration,  sees  his  way  clear  to  do  so,  by 
looking  inward,  and  finding  such  an  heart  in  him  ;  but  he 
who  administers  the  oaths,  judges  concerning  the  propriety 
of  his  own  conduct  in  so  doing,  only  by  what  outwardly  ap- 
pears. And  thus  it  is  also  when  persons  enter  into  the  mar- 
riage covenant ;  they  see  their  way  clear  to  act,  by  looking, 
each  one  into  his  own  heart,  and  finding  such  affections  in 
themselves  as  are  answerable  to  the  external  transaction  be- 
fore them  :  but  he  who  leads  them  to  enter  into  the  marriage 
covenant,  judges  of  the  propriety  of  his  conduct  only  by  what 
is  visible.  A  man  by  looking  into  his  own  heart  may  be  cer- 
tain, that  he  believes  and  loves  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel ; 
but  the  church,  by  outward  appearances,  can  be  certain  of 
neither.  Peter  was  certain  he  believed.  Mat.  xvi.  16.  And 
as  certain  that  he  loved.  John  xxi.  15,  16,  17.  And  it  is 
the  duty  of  all  to  believe  and  love  as  he  did.  The  blame 
is  wholly  in  ourselves,  if  we  do  not.  But  we  ought  not  to 
profess  faith  and  love  till  we  see  our  way  clear ;  so  as  that 
in  professing  we  may  act  an  honest  and  conscientious  part : 
even  as  it  would  be  a  wicked  thing  for  persons  to  enter  into 
the  marriage  covenant,  if  the  prevailing  judgment  of  their 
own  minds  were,  that  they  were  not  in  a  proper  state  for 
such  a  transaction.  However,  it  must  be  owned,  that  not  to 
love  Christ  above  all  things,  not  to  be  willing  to  forsake  all 
for  his  sake,  and  not  to  espouse  his  cause  and  interest  hearti- 
ly before  men,  is  most  inexcusable  wickedness.  Therefore, 

7-  We  are  to  distinguish  between  things  not  at  all  com- 
manded to  any  man  ;  as  eating  blood  :  and  things  certainly 
commanded  to  some  men  ;  as  to  confess  Christ  before  men. 
It  is  wrong  to  eat  blood,  if  we  at  all  doubt  of  the  lawfulness 

VOL.  in.  •     23 


176  VARIOUS   DISTINCTIONS  STATED. 

of  it,  because  it  is  not  a  commanded  duty  to  any  man.  So 
he,  that  doublet  h  is  damned  if  he  eat ;  i.  e.  is  self-condemned, 
because  in  such  a  case  as  this  he  ought  not  to  eat.  But  it 
will  not  hence  follow,  that  we  shall  be  self-condemned,  if  we 
confess  Christ  before  men  without  full  assurance.  For  by 
the  command  of  Christ  we  are  bound  in  duty^  if  we  are  on 
his  side  in  our  hearts,  openly  to  confess  him  before  men.  If 
we  neglect  it,  in  this  case  we  sin.  And  if  we  do  it  in  hypo- 
crisy, we  sin.  A  man's  conscience  in  all  such  like  cases  will 
lead  him  to  act  according  to  his  prevailing  judgment.  It  is, 
in  fact,  thus  with  the  conscientious  part  of  mankind,  in  all 
doubtful  matters;  if  they  are  obliged  to  act  one  way  or  the 
other,  they  make  conscience  of  acting  according  to  prevail- 
ing evidence. 

8.  We  are  to  distinguish  between  objections  which  appear 
to  be  equally  against  both  schemes,  and  other  objections  :  and 
are  to  look  upon  the  former  as  of  no  weight  to  settle  the  con- 
troversy. If  they  say  it  is  difficult  to  know  whether  we  com- 
ply with  the  covenant  of  grace;  we  may  answer  that  it  is  as 
difficult,  and  more  so,  for  any  man  to  know  whether  he  com- 
plies with  the  external  covenant.  If  they  say  the  church  can- 
not be  certain  that  any  man  has  saving  grace;  we  may  answer, 
neither  can  the  church  be  certain  that  any  man  believes  in 
his  heart,  the  doctrines  which  he  professes  with  his  mouth.  If 
they  say,  assurance  of  our  right  to  come  is  necessary  on  our 
scheme ;  we  may  answer,  that  it  is  no  more  necessary  on  one 
scheme  than  on  the  other.  Besides,  assurance  of  a  right  to  come 
is  attainable  by  true  saints;  but  no  man  can  know  that  he  has  a 
right  on  Mr.  M.'s  scheme.  Because  no  man  can  know  what  his 
external  covenant  requires.  If  they  say,  Peter  had  not  time  to 
examine  into  the  gracious  state  of  the  three  thousand  converts 
on  the  day  of  pentecost ;  we  may  answer,  that  he  had  as 
much  time  for  this,  as  to  examine  into  their  doctrinal  know- 
ledge and  moral  sincerity."  So  also,  those  objections  ought 
to  weigh  nothing,  which  are  taken  merely  from  the  wicked- 
ness of  mankind,  and  which  would  vanish  of  themselves, 
should  the  Spirit  of  God  be  poured  from  on  high,  as  it  was 
when  the  first  Christian  church  was  set  up.  For  there  is  no 
more  reason  that  the  discipline  qf  Christ's  house  should  be 


VARIOUS   DISTINCTIONS   STATED. 

brought  down  to  suit  our  corruptions,  than  that  the  doctrines 
of  the  Gospel  should  also. 

0.  We  ought  to  distinguish  between  an  appeal  to  reason, 
and  an  appeal  to  corruption.  For  example,  these  words  are 
contained  in  the  marriage  covenant,  unto  whieh  we  oblige 
the  woman  to  give  her  consent,  viz.  "  You  take  this  A.  B. 
for  your  married  husband,  and  promise  to  be  a  loving,  faith- 
ful, and  obedient  wife  to  him,"  &c.  Should  a  few  women 
object  against  this  covenant,  and  publicly  propose  an  altera- 
tion, saying,  "  we  pray,  that  the  words,  loving,  faithful,  and 
obedient,  may  be  left  out,  for  the  sake  of  some  young  women 
of  tender  consciences,  who  cannot  see  their  way  clear  to  use 
them  :"  the  only  question  would  be  this,  "  ought  the  altera- 
tion to  be  made  in  the  marriage  covenant,  or  in  the  young 
women  ?"  Or  in  other  words,  "  which  is  wrong,  the  wo- 
man's heart,  or  the  covenant  r"  A  question,  which  may  easi- 
ly be  decided,  if  we  appeal  to  reason  or  to  Scripture  :  but  if 
we  appeal  to  corruption,  the  more  we  wrangle,  the  more  we 
may.  Some  might  say,  "  If  the  covenant  is  not  altered,  no 
woman  can  be  married  without  full  assurance.  For  it  is  not 
lawful  to  enter  into  this  covenant  in  doubt.  For  he  that 
doubteth  is  damned.  An  infallible  assurance  therefore  is  ne- 
cessary. But  who  has  this  ?  Or  what  woman,  on  this  plan, 
can  be  married,  with  a  good  conscience?  And,  besides, 
what  minister  can  be  able  to  judge  whether  any  are  fit  to  be 
married  ?  By  what  rule  shall  it  be  certainly  known  when  a 
woman  is  really  disposed  to  be  &  loving,  faithful,  and  obedient 
wife,  and  when  she  is  not  ?  Moreover,  it  will  only  tempt  bad 
women  to  make  a  lying  profession,  while  women  of  tender 
consciences  will  be  kept  back  ;  and  those  who  are  married 
will  grow  proud  because  they  are  judged  to  be  qualified. 
Meanwhile,  the  failings  of  married  women  will  be  more  ta- 
ken notice  of,  to  their  dishonour,  for  using  this  covenant. 
Upon  the  whole,  it  is  a  very  bad  plan,  and  a  thing  of  a  very 
dangerous  tendency ;  therefore,  we  propose,  that  in  all  future 
times,  these  words,  loving,  faithful,  obedient,  be  left  out  of 
the  marriage  covenant."  How  ridiculous  would  any  woman 
make  herself,  that  should  advance  such  sentiments  !  But  if 
this  class  of  women  were  the  majority,  they  might  make  a 


J80  VARIOUS   DISTINCTIONS  STATED. 

shocking  noise,  but  there  would  be  no  more  sense  in  it,  than 
if  but  one  single  woman  was  in  the  scheme. 

10.  We  are  to  distinguish  between  that  character  which 
the  Israelites  gave  of  themselves,  when    Mount   Sinai  was 
covered  with  a  thick   cloud,  and  the  Lord  appeared  in  the 
flame  of  a  devouring  fire  on  the  top  of  the  Mount,  and   it 
lightened  and  thundered,  and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  was 
exceeding  loud,  and  the  people  trembled  under  a  sense  of 
the  greatness  and   majesty  of  the   Holy  One  of  Israel,  and 
every  one,  even  ail  the  people,  answered  zcith  one  voice,  and 
said,  all  the  words  which  the   Lord  hath  said,  will  we  do  ; 
(such  manifestations  of  God,  and  a  people  under  such  deep 
religious  impressions,  never  had  been  before  heard  of  since 
the  world  began  :  so  that  even  God  himself,  judging  accord- 
ing to  appearances,  was  ready  to  say,  surely,  they  are  my 
people,  children  that  will  not  lie.    -Isai.  Ixiii.  8.) — And  that 
character  which   they  afterwards  gave  of  themselves,  by  their 
conduct  forty  years  in  the  wilderness.     In  the  former,  they 
appear  heartily  disposed    to  comply    with  God's  covenant. 
In  the  latter,   they    appear  a  rebellious  generation,   whose 
hearts  were  not  right  with  God,  neither  were,  they  steadjast  in 
his  covenant.     Psal.  Ixxviii. 37. 

1 1.  We  are  to  distinguish  between  that  character  which  the 
Israelites  gave  of  themselves,  by  their  conduct  forty  years  in 
the  wilderness,  by  which  it  appeared  that  they  had  not  eyes 
to  see,  nor  ears  to  hear,  nor  a  heart  to  understand  ;  (for  they 
made  a  calf  even,  before  the  Mount  of  God.     And  rebelled  at 
Kadesh-barnea  ;  and  at  Taberah,  and  Massah,   and  at   Ki- 
brothrhattaavah,  they  provoked  the  Lord  to  wrath.     So  that 
Moses  might  well  say,  Ye  have  been  rebellious  against  the 
Lord,  from  the  day  that  1  knew  you.     Deut.  ix.  7 — 24.)  And 
that  character,  which  that   pious  generation  gave  of  them- 
selves, who  in  the  plains  of  Moab  heard  Moses  rehearse  all 
God's  ways  to  that  nation,-ftiul  their  ways  to  God,  forty  years 
in  the  wilderness,  and  now  on  a  review  of  the  whole,  manifested 
a  disposition  unitedly  to  become  God's  people,  to  enter  into 
God's  covenant   anew,  and  to   bind  themselves  to  him,   as 
their  God,. to  love  him,  and  to- walk  in  all   his  wiys,  and  to 
keep  all  his -commandments.     Concerning  the  former  cha- 


VARIOUS  DISTINCTIONS  STATEU.  181 

^acter,  more  severe  things  are  spoken  in  Scripture,  than  of 
any  other,  which  that  people  ever  gave  of  themselves  under 
that  dispensation :  and  concerning  the  latter,  more  good 
things.  The  piety  of  this  new  generation  God  remembered 
many  ages  after,  Jer.  ii.  2.  Thus  with  the  Lord,  1  remember 
thee,  the  kindness  of  thy  youth,  the  love  of  thine  espousals ; 
ver.  .8.  Israel  was  holiness  to  the  Lord.  See  also  Judges  ii. 
7.  And  the.  people  ser-ved  tht  Lord  all  the  days  of  Joshua , 
and  all  the  days  of  the  elders  that  out-lived  Joshua.  So  that 
they  transmitted  the  true  religion  to  the  next  generation,  and 
kept  it  up  all  the  days  of  their  lives.  And  if  these  things 
are  well  considered,  and  the  great  comparative  darkness  of 
that  age  of  the  world,  and  the  abundant  pains  which  Moses 
look  in  the  plains  of  Moab  to  explain  the  covenant,  and  to 
render  them  deeply  sensible  of  their  obligations  to  comply 
with  it,  with  all  their  hearts,  no  man  will  find  cause  to  say 
that  Moses  acted  an  unfaithful  part,  in  leading  that  people 
to  enter  into  that  very  covenant,  in  the  manner  he  did. 

OBJ.  But  it  was  the  design  of  Moses  to  charge  in  a  pub- 
lic manner,  as  what  visibly  and  publicly  appeared  to  be  the 
truth  of  the  case,  those  very  individual  persons  with  being 
unregenerate,  on  that  very  day,  in  which  he  l«d  them  to  en- 
ter into  covenant.  For  he  says,  the  Lord  hath  not  given  you 
an  heart  to  perceive,  and  eyes  to  see,  and  cars  to  hear,  unto 
this  day.  Deut.  xxix.  4.  p.  18.  24. 

ANS.  It  is  evident,  that  in  the  public  speech  which  Moses 
made  to  the  Israelites  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  of  which  these 
words  are  a  part,  he  constantly  addresses  them  in  their  na- 
tional capacity,  and  not  as  individuals.  Thus  in  the  para- 
graph in  which  these  words  are  contained,  ver.  2.  Moses 
called  unto  all  Israel,  and  said  unto  them^ye  have  seen  all  that 
the  Lord  did  before  your  eyes,  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  &c. 
Whereas  every  one  in  the  congregation,  who  were  but 
one  month  under  forty  years  of  age,  which  was  doubtless  by 
far  the  greatest  part  of  the  congregation,  never  were  in  Egypt, 
for  they  were  born  in  the  wilderness,  since  their  fathers  left 
.Egypt.  And  instances  of  the  like  nature  are  to  be  observed 
through  the  whole  speech.  Thus  we  know,  that  the  carcas- 
ses of  the  men  that  sinned  at  Kadtsh-barnea,  on  the  return  of 


18*2  VARIOUS  DISTINCTIONS  STATED. 

the  spies,  were  all  of  them  fallen  in  the  wilderness  ;  and  yet 
he  speaks  to  the  present  generation,  who  personally  had  no 
hand  in  that  sin,  as  though  they  were  the  very  individual 
persons  that  had  committed  it.  Chap.  ix.  £3.  Then  you  re- 
belled against  the  commandment  of  the  Lord.  See  also  Deut. 
i.  19 — 35.  Whereas  there  was  not  one  of  those  rebels  alive  ; 
no,  not  so  much  as  one.  Num.  xxvi.  (>3 — 65.  And  this  is 
precisely  the  truth  of  the  case,  with  the  text  under  considera- 
tion. For, 

Moses  brought  in  no  public  charges  against  the  nation,  but 
for  public  crimes  ;  not  an  instance  can  be  produced  from  the 
beginning  of  Deuteronomy  to  the  text  under  consideration. 
But  this  new  generation,  which  were  grown  up,  and  which 
were  now  about  to  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  had  not 
been  guilty  of  any  public  crimes,  to  give  themselves  a  bad 
character.  It  does  not  appear  from  the  whole  story  that 
Moses  had  any  public  grounds  for  a  public  charge  against 
them,  as  being  an  ungodly  generation,  ft  ay,  the  fact  is,  that 
they  always  behaved  so  well  both  before  and  alter,  that  they 
were  by  God  himself,  after  they  were  dead  and  gone,  repre- 
sented as  a  very  religious  and  godly  generation.  Jer.  ii.  'I,  3. 
Jude  ii.  7.  Compared  to  a  choice  vine,  Isa.  v.  2.  Wholly 
a  right  seed,  Jer.  ii.  12\. 

To  suppose  Moses  charged  them  in  a  public  manner,  as 
an  unregenerate,  ungodly  generation,  unjustly,  without  ever 
mentioning  one  single  fact  to  the  disadvantage  of  their 
character,  is  very  unreasonable  :  especially  as  the  sense  be- 
fore given  to  the  words  under  consideration  is  an  easy  and 
natural  sense,  and  removes  all  difficulties,  and  renders  the 
speech  and  conduct  of  Moses  perfectly  consistent.  For,  as 
to  all  the  instances  of  public  conduct  contained  in  the  long 
narrative  which  Moses  had  given,  from  the  time  they  left 
Egypt,  to  that  very. day,  which  were  evidences  of  blind  eyes, 
deaf  ears,  and  hard  hearts,  this  present  generation  were  not 
active  in  them.  Those  facts,  those  public  crimes,  although 
committed  by  that  nation,  were  not  done  by  the  individual 
persons  which  made  up  the  present  congregation,  who  enter- 
ed into  covenant  with  God  ;  but  by  the  old  generation,  whose 
carcasses  were  fallen  in  the  wilderness  ;  as  any  man  may  see 


VARIOUS   DISTINCTIONS  STATED.  18S 

that  will  read  all  the  preceding  chapters  of  the  book.  We 
ought  not,  by  giving  a  wrong  sense  to  the  words  of  Moses, 
to  render  his  public  speech  and  his  public  conduct  inconsist- 
ent ;  and  the n  to  charge  him  with  acting  a  dishonest  part  in 
leading  that  people  to  enter  into  covenant,  in  the  manner  in 
which  in  fact  he  did  :  or  to  deny  the  fact,  under  a  pretence  of 
saving  his  character ;  when  indeed  his  character  cannot  be 
saved  this  wav,  because  the  fact  is  undeniably  true. 

If  it  should  be  inquired,  why  did  Moses  speak  thus,  to  this 
present  generation,  as  they  had  not  been  personally  guilty  of 
that  course  of  rebellious  conduct  themselves  ;  but  were  them- 
selves a  godly  generation  ? — The  answer  is  easy. — He  did  it 
to  give  them  a  clear  view  and  humbling  sense  of  their  na- 
tional sins,  and  the  justice  of  God  in  the  national  judgments 
which  he  brought  upon  them  ;  that  they  might  know,  that  it 
was  not  for  their  righteousness  that  God  did  bring  them  into 
that  good  land  ;  but  merely  of  his  great  goodness,  and  be- 
cause he  had  promised  it  to  Abraham.  Deut.  ix.  5.  To  the 
end  they  might  so  reflect  on  the  depravity  of  their  own 
hearts,  and  be  so  deeply  abased  before  God,  as  to  be  thereby 
prepared  for  that  holy  and  solemn  transaction  before  them, 
of  entering  into  covenant  with  the  holy  One  of  Israel :  that 
having  in  view  how  their  fathers  had  entered  into  covenant  at 
Sinai,  and  had  broken  covenant,  so  that  all  their  carcasses 
had  fallen  in  the  wilderness,  they  might  take  warning  there- 
by, and  remember  and  keep  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  their 
God,  that  it  might  be  well  with  them,  and  with  their  chil- 
dren after  them. 

12.  We  are  to  distinguish  between  the  character  which  the 
three  thousand  converts  on  the  day  of  pentecost  gave  of 
themselves,  in  that  deep  conviction  of  sin  and  guilt  which 
they  manifested,  when  they  appeared  to  be  pricked  at  the 
heart,  and  in  that  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  toward 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  they  openly  professed  when 
they  appeared  cordially  to  comply  with  Peter's  exhortation, 
repent  and  be  baptised  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  by  gladly  receiving  his  word,  and  offering 
themselves  to  baptism,  and  to  join  with  a  persecuted  party, 
whose  master  had  lately  been  put  to  a  most  shameful  and 


184  VARIOUS  DISTINCTIONS  STATED. 

scandalous  death,  in  the  most  public  manner,  on  the  most 
public  occasion,  at  the  risk  of  every  thing  dear  to  them  in- 
die world  :  and  the  character  which  men  ordinarily  give  of 
themselves  in  offering  to  join  with  the  church,  without  any 
special  concern  about  their  souls,  when  it  is  esteemed  no 
small  honour  to  be  church  members,  and  enjoy  church  pri- 
vileges.— The  former,  to  a  judgment  of  charity,  appeared  to 
be  true  converts,  whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  latter. 

13.  We  are  to  distinguish  between  what  is  visible,  and 
what  is  real.     Many  in  the  eyes  of  men  are  reputed  godly, 
who  in  the  eyes  of  God,  as  searcher  of  hearts,  are  not  so. 
The  former  have  a  right  in  the  sight  of  the  church,  to  enter 
into  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  a  public  profession,  and  to  seal 
the  covenant ;  but  the  latter  only  have  a  right  in  the  sight  of 
God.     For  the   former  appear  to  be  godly ;    but  the  latter 
only  are  really  so.     The  former  have  a  visible,  the  latter  have 
a  real  right. 

14.  There  is  a  distinction  to  be  made  between   a  right  to 
sealing  ordinances  on  our  own  account,  and  a  right  on   the 
account  of  another.     Thus  pious  parents  have  a  right  for  seal- 
ing ordinances  for  themselves,  on    their  own    account,   as 
being  themselves  really  in  covenant  with  God,  by  a  com- 
pliance with  it :  but  their  infant  children  have  a  right  to 
baptism,  not  on  their  own  account,  but  simply  on  that  ok 
their  parents,  considered  as  parts  of  their  parents,  branches 
grown  out  of  the  old  root :  and  so  may  be  baptised  without 
respect  to  any  internal  qualification,  at  present  inherent  in 
them,  either  moral  or  gracious. 

OBJ.  If,  in  infant  baptism,  no  respect  is  had  to  any  in- 
ternal qualification  in  the  infant,  then  the  seal  is  set  to  a 
blank. 

ANS.  Then  the  seal  is  set  to  a  blank,  when  there  is  no 
covenant  entered  into  :  but  when  there  is  a  covenant  entered 
into  and  sealed,  there  is  no"  room  for  the  objection.  But  in 
infant-baptism  there  is  a  covenant  entered  into.  For  God 
says  to  the  pious  parent,  "  I  will  be  a  God  to  thee,  and  to 
thy  seed."  And  the  pious  parent  replies,  "  I  choose  thee 
for  my  God  and  the  God  of  my  child."  So  that  here  is  a 
covenant  entered  into  between  God  and  the  pious  parent,  in 


VARIOUS  DISTINCTIONS  STATED.  185 

behalf  of  himself  and  his  infant,  in  the  very  act  of  offering 
it  to  God  in  baptism.  And  baptism  is  a  seal,  not  to  a  blanlc, 
but  to  this  covenant,  which  in  fact  takes  place  between  God 
and  the  pious  parent. 

15.  \Ve  are  to  distinguish  between  covenanting  with  God 
actively,  in  a  visible  manner,  as  a  pious  parent  does  when  he 
dedicates  his  child  to  God  in  baptism,  and  promises  to  bring 
it  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord  ;  and  being 
laid  under  the  bond?  of  the  covenant  passively,  as  is  the  case 
with  the  child.  God  speaks  to  the  pious  parent  in  that  ordi- 
nance, saying,  "  I  will  be  a  God  to  thee,  and  to  thy  seed, 
i.  e.  if  they  will  take  heed  to  walk  in  my  ways."  The  pious 
parent  answers,  in  the  act  of  offering  the  child  to  baptism,  "  I 
choose  thee  for  my  God,  and  for  the  God  of  my  child.  And 
I  promise  to  bring  up  my  child  for  thee.  And,  oh,  that  it 
might  live  in  thy  sight,  be  thy  child,  and  walk  in  thy  ways !'» 
The  parent  is  active ;  but  the  child  is  merely  passive.  We 
may  bring  ourselves  under  the  bonds  of  the  covenant,  by  our 
own  act  and  deed,  as  the  adult  did  in  the  plains  of  Moab, 
when  they  renewed  covenant  there :  or  we  may  be  brought 
under  the  bonds  of  the  covenant,  by  the  act  of  another  au- 
thorized by  God  so  to  do.  Thus  Moses  laid  all  the  infants  in 
the  congregation,  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  under  the  bonds  of 
the  covenant.  And  thus  parents,  in  offering  their  children  to 
baptism,  lay  them  under  the  bonds  of  the  covenant. 

J6.  If  no  one  is  to  be  baptised,  till  by  his  own  act  and 
deed  he  enters  into  covenant  with  God,  be  it  the  covenant 
of  grace,  or  a  graceless  covenant ;  then  no  infant  is  to  be 
baptised  on  either  plan :  because  no  infant,  by  his  own  act 
and  deed,  enters  into  any  covenant  of  any  sort,  or  so  much 
as  knows,  that  there  is  any  covenant  of  any  sort  to  be  en- 
tered into.  If  the  child  has  a  right  to  baptism,  on  its  parents' 
account,  and  not  on  its  own,  infant-baptism  can  be  vindicat- 
ed, as  well  on  the  plan  of  a  gracious  covenant,  as  on  the 
plan  of  an  ungracious  one ;  but  if  the  child's  right  to  baptism 
is  founded  on  its  own  personal  compliance  with  the  covenant, 
infant-baptism  must  be  given  up  on  the  plan  of  a  covenant 
of  moral  sincerity,  and  a  right  doctrinal  belief;  for  no  infant 
\v as' ever  thus  qualified:  but  some  infants  have  been  saacti- 

VOL.  in.  04 


ISO  MR.  MATHER'S  SCHEMA 

fied  from  the  womb,  and  so,  in  tins  sense,  have  been  in  the 
covenant  of  grace.     Luke  i.  15. 

17-  It  must  apparently  be  an  unspeakable  advantage,  to 
be  under  the  watch  and  care  of  a  godly  church,  who  have  a 
real  spirit  of  fidelity  in  them  ;  and,  like  Abraham,  will  com- 
mand" all  under  their  care  to  fear  the  Lord.  Gen.  xviii.  1J>. 
And  it  is  equally  evident,  that  it  can  be  of  no  advantage  to 
be  under  the  watch  and  care  of  an  ungodly  church,  who  will 
neither  walk  in  the  ways  of  God  themselves,  nor  bring  up- 
those  committed  to  their  care  for  God.  God  put  confidence 
in  Abraham,  /  know  him,  that  he  will  command  his  children 
and  his  household  after  him,  &c.  But  there  is  no  confidence 
to  be  put  in  an  ungodly  man,  that  he  will  be  faithful  to 
God,  with  respect  to  his  own  soul,  or  the  souls  of  his  children. 
Hos.  vi.  4.  Mat.  vii.  16,  17,  18. 


SECTION  VIII. 

Mr.  Mather's  scheme  inconsistent  teilh  itself'. 

THERE  are  three  things  in  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,. 
viz.  The  conditions  required  ;  the  privileges  promised  ;  and 
the  seals  ;  and  his  ideas  concerning  each  of  these,  as  express- 
ed in  his  book,  are  inconsistent. 

I.  As  to  the  conditions  required,  in  order  to  a  covenant 
right  to  all  covenant  privileges,  his  ideas  are  inconsistent. — 
For, 

1.  Sometimes  he  makes  circumcision  the  only  condition. 
"  For  that  by  which,"  says  he,  "  any  one  was  to  enter  into 
this  covenant,  was  an  external  mark  in  the  flesh.  This  is 
my  covenant,  zchich  ye  shall  keep  between  me  and  you,  and 
thy  seed  after  thee  ;  everjf 'man-child  among  you  shall  be  cir- 
curncistd.  But  that  by  which  any  one  enters  into  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  is  the  circumcision  of  the  heart."  p.  7  m-  So 

m  "  That  by  which  any  one  enters  into  the  covenant  of  grace  is  the  circumci- 
sion of  the  heart :"  and  yet  he  is  obliged  to  deny  this,  p.  21. ;  and  to  affirm  that 
i  lie  circumcision  of  the  heart  intends  no  more  than  entering  into  his  external1 


INCONSISTENT  WITH  ITSELF.  18? 

that  the  circumcision  of  the  flesh  brings  men  into  the  exter- 
nal covenant,  and  gives  them  a  covenant  right  to  all  its  privi- 
leges ;  just  as  the  circumcision  of  the  heart  brings  men  into 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  gives  them  a  covenant  right  to 
all  the  blessings  of  that.  But  the  circumcision  of  the  heart, 
as  the  phrase  is  used  in  Scripture,  is  a  real  compliance  with 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  is  connected  with  eternal  life. 
Rom.  ii.  29.  And  accordingly,  he  speaks  of  the  circumcision 
of  the  flesh  as  a  compliance  with  the  external  covenant,  p.  8. 
•'This  covenant  remained  to  be  complied  with.  Abraham 
must  needs  be  circumcised." 

And  indeed,  if  Mr.  M.  was  disposed  to  turn  the  covenant 
with  Abraham  into  his  external  covenant,  of  necessity  the 
circumcision  of  the  flesh  must  be  the  only  condition  of  it : 
because  there  was  nothing  else  external  which  took  place  in 
that  covenant  recorded  in  Gen.  xvii.  to  which  Mr.  M.  could 
with  any  colour  lay  claim  ;  for  Abraham  made  no  profession 
but  a  profession  of  saving  faith.  But  this  was  a  visible  com- 
pliance with  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  not  with  the  exter- 
nal covenant.  If,  therefore,  he  did  any  thing  at  all  by  way 
of  compliance  with  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  it  was 
only  merely  and  simply  making  'an  external  mark  in  the 
flesh.' 

2.  And  as  Mr.  M.  thus  sometimes  represents  the  circum- 
cision of  the  flesh  to  be  a  compliance  with  the  external  co- 
venant with  Abraham ;  so  he  sometimes  represents  baptism 
as  entitling  to  all  the  privileges  of  his  external  covenant, 
under  the  Gospel  dispensation.  For,  according  to  him,  all 
who  are  baptised  '*  are  Abraham's  children,  and  heirs  accord- 
ing to  the  promise."  p.  13.  "  For  a  child  baptised  in  infan- 

graceless  covenant,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  that  .plain  text,  Ezek.  xliv.  9.  Thus  aaith 
tJte  Lord  God,  no  stranger,  uncircumcised  in  heart,  &c,  shall  enter  into  my  sanc- 
tuary ,•  -which  is  a  prophecy  of  the  glorious  state  of  the  church  spoken  of,  Isa. 
ii.  3,  4,  5.  Chap.  xi.  1—9.  and  Ix.  21.  \Vhen  satan  will  be  bound,  agreeable  to 
llc\.  XT:,  and  when  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  will  be  no  more  practised  upon  in 
the  whole  earth  for  a  thousand  years.  For  in  that  day,  Thus  aaith  the  Lord  God, 
no  stranger,  uncircumcised  in  heart,  Khali  enter  into  my  sanctuary  ,•  i.  e.  none 
shall  be  admitted  but  such  who  in  their  profession,  life,  and  conversation,  appear 
to  be  godly.  For  in  that  day  right  doctrine  and  right  discipline  will  universally 
take  place,  and  then  all  will  be  agreed  :  For  they  shall  see  eye  to  eye.  Isai.  Hi.  8. 


188  MR.  MATHER'S  SCHEME 

cy,"  he  says,  "  is  thereby  as  really  brought  into  covenant,  as 
one  that  is  baptised  in  riper  years.  It  conveys  the  same 
privileges  to  the  one  as  to  the  other."  p.  16.  But  the  adult, 
having  made  a  profession,  was,  in  the  apostolic  age,  by 
baptism  received  into  full  communion  with  the  church,  it) 
complete  standing,  as  is  evident  from  Acts  ii.  3? — 47.  And 
in  this  view  Mr.  M.  considers  infant  baptism,  as"  a  valuable 
privilege  ;"  "  as  it  entitles  to  the  appointed  means  of  grace  ;'' 
p»  54,  55.  that  is,  to  all  church  privileges :  and  insists,  that 
those  who  are  baptised  in  infancy,  "  should  be  told  that  they 
are  really  in  covenant  l  with  God,  that  they  are  members  of 
the  visible  church,  and  are  entitled  to  the  privileges  of  it.' 
And  as  they  have  a  title  to  the  privileges,  so  "  they  are  in 
duty  bound  to  seek  the  enjoyment  of,  and  attend  upon  these 
privileges."  p.  55,  56V  For,  according  to  Mr.  M.  "a  child 
dedicated  to  God  in  baptism,  is  thereby  brought  into  cove- 
nant with  God,  and  has  a  promise  left  to  it,  of  the  means  of 
grace,  and  the  strivings  of  God's  holy  spirit,  in  order  to  ren- 
der them  effectual  for  salvation  :  but  an  unbaptised  child  is 
left  in  the  kingdom  of  darkness."  p.  5Q,  60.  And  he  adds, 
tf  it  is  but  trifling  to  say,  that  although  baptised  persons 
may  be  styled  members  of  the  church  universal ;  yet  they 
are  not  members  of  any  particular  church."  p.  56.  So  that, 
upon  the  whole,  it  appears,  that  by  baptism  alone,  infants  are 
made  members  of  the  church,  in  such  sort  as  to  have  a  di- 
vine right  and  title  to  all  church  privileges  :  which  is  full  as 
much  as  can  be  said  of  any,  who  are  in  full  communion,  in 
complete  standing.  And  thus  we  see  what  Mr.  M.'s  scheme 
is,  in  this  view  of  it.  And  here  let  us  stop  a  moment  or  two, 
and  look  round  and  consider  where  we  are  now.  For  if  these 
things  are  true,  it  will  follow, 

1.  That  no  internal  mental  qualifications  are  now,  or  ever 
were,  requisite,  in  order  to  a  right  to  all  church  privileges  in 
the  sight  of  God  ;  neither  rtforal,  nor  gracious  ;  neither  faith, 
nor  practice  of  one  sort,  or  of  the  other ;  no,  nothing  at  all, 
but  only  "  an  external  mark  in  the  flesh,"  or  water  baptism  n. 
And  therefore, 

•n  The  land  of  Canaan  was  one  chief  external  blessing  of  the  Abraham  ic  cove- 
nant  Gen,  xvii.  8.*  A  compliance  with  that  covenant  gave  a  covenant  right  to  a 


INCONSISTENT  WITH  ITSELF.  18fi 

2.  In  order  to  our  being  satisfied  in  our  own  consciences, 
fhat  we  have  a  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  come  to  the 
Lord's  table,  we  are  not  "  to  examine  ourselves  of  our  know- 
ledge to  discern  the  Lord's  body,  of  our  faith  to  feed  upon 
him,  of  our  repentance,  love,  and  new  obedience,"  as  the  as- 
sembly ofdivints  imagined  an  hundred  and  twenty  years  ago  : 
nor  are  we  to  examine  ourselves  of  our  doctrinal  knowledge, 
orthodoxy,  moral  sincerity,  or  of  any  thing  else,  of  an  inter- 
nal, mental  nature.     For  a  right  to  the  Lord's  supper  has  no 
dependance  on  any  thing  of  this  nature.     For,  but  one  thing 
was  needful  to  satisfy  the  conscience  of  the  Jew,  viz.  "  The 
external  mark  in  the  flesh,"  which  might  easily  be  known. 
And  the  Christian  has  nothing  to  do,  but  to  procure  and  keep 
by  him,  a  well  attested  certificate  of  his  baptism,  to  give  him 
a  full  assurance  of  his  right  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table.    For, 

3.  No  crime,  although  of  the  most  scandalous  nature,  could 
vacate  this  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  or  in  the  sight  of  con- 
science ;  because  this  right  was  not  founded  in   any  moral 
qualifications  whatsoever,  but  only  in  "  an  external  mark  in 
the  flesh,"  or  water  baptism.    But  the  idolatry  of  the  Jew  did 
not  at  all  take  away  "  the  external  mark  in  the  flesh  ;"  nor 

possession  of  it.  Num.  xxxii.  11,  12.  The  Israelites  who  came  out  of  Egypt 
were  all  circumcised.  Josh.  v.  5.  If  in  circumcision,  they  fully  complied  with 
that  covenant  on  their  part ;  then  their  carcasses  did  not  fall  in  the  wilderness, 
because  they  on  their  part  broke  covenant,  hut  because  God  broke  cove- 
nant on  his  part.  They  on  their  part(fulfilled  the  only  condition  on  which  the  land 
of  Canaan  was  promised,  but  God  was  not  true  to  the  covenant  on  his  part  So 
the  fault  was  not  in  them,  bnt  in  him  ;  and  in  this  view,  Lev.  xxvi.  and  Deut.  xxviii. 
are  entirely  inconsistent  with  the  Abrahamic  covenant.  And  so  also  is  the  di- 
vine conduct  in  the  expulsion  of  the  Jews  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, formerly,  as  well  as  in  their  present  dispersion.  For  they  on  their  part 
have  always  kept  covenant  For  they  have  always  circumcised  their  children, 
from  the  time  they  took  possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan  to  this  day.  Nor  can 
Psalm  1.  16.  Isai.  i.  10—15.  Ezek.  xliv.  9.  Mat.  v.  23,  24.  Heb.iii.  19.  and  an 
hundred  other  texts,  be  reconciled  with  this  scheme. 

And  if  baptism  alone,  without  respect  to  any  mental  qualification,  gives  a  cove- 
nant right  to  all  the  external  privileges  of  the  visible  church  of  Christ ;  then  no 
consistent  meaning  can  be  given  to  these  texts,  Mat  xviii.  17.  Mat.  xxii.  12.  Cor. 
v.  11.  and  Chap.  xi.  28,  29.  Tit  iii.  10, 11 .  Rev.  ii.  4,  5.  &c.  &c.  The  truth  is,  by 
sealing  a  covenant  we  are  bound  to  fulfil  it :  but  it  is  an  actual  compliance  with  a 
Covenant,  that  entitles  as  to  its  blessings.  Lev.  xxvi.  Deut.  xxviii.  Rom.  viii.  15. 
Mat.  iii.  9,  10. 


l&O  MR.  MATHER'S  SCHEME 

can  the  open  infidelity  and  debauchery  of  the  Christian 
prove,  that  the  certificate  which  he  lias  of  his  baptism,  is  not 
authentic.  Let  the  idolatrous  Jew  look  on  "  the  external 
mark  in  the  flesh/'  and  let  the  infidel  and  immoral  Christian 
look  on  his  certificate,  and  their  consciences  may  be  confirm- 
ed, in  a  full  assurance  of  their  divine  right  and  title  to  all  co- 
venant privileges  °.  Therefore, 

o  This  is  a  short  and  easy  method  for  dishonest,  cheating,  promise-breaking 
professors  to  come  to  the  Lord's  Table  with  a  good  conscience  ;  and  for  those 
who  live  in  the  neglect  of  family  prayer,  and  who,  instead  of  bringing  up  their 
children  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  trais  them  up  to  live  after  the 
Jlesh  in  chambering'  and  -wantonness  /  -while  they  themselves  live  in  malice  and 
envy  towards  their  fellow  professors.  Mr.  M.  is  of  opinion,  that  it  is  of  very  had 
and  dangerous  tendency,  for  those  who  are  admitted  into  the  church  to  make  a 
profession  of  godliness,  lest  by  their  ungodly  lives  they  should  disgrace  their  pro- 
fession, and  tempt  others  to  turn  infidels,  p.  55,  54.  And  for  the  same  reason  it 
is  not  best  that  any  of  the  professed  followers  of  Christ  should  pretend  to  be  ho- 
nest men,  lest  their  dishonest  practices  should  sink  the  holy  religion  of  Christ  into 
contempt,  and  promote  infidelity  in  the  world.  For  indeed  it  is  come  to  tliis 
already,  that  among  the  Mahometans,  it  is  a  common  thing  when  men  are  charg- 
ed with  cheating  or  suspected  of  any  dishonest  trick,  to  reply  with  indignation, 
"  what !  do  you  think  I  am  a  Christian  ?" 

Nor  can  it  be  justified,  in  Mr.  M.'s  way  of  reasoning,  for  the  church  to  require 
a  profession  of  moral  honesty,  of  those  whom  they 'admit  to  full  communion.  For 
every  one  of  his  objections  against  a  profession  of  godliness  are  of  full  force 
against  a  profession  of  a  disposition  honestly  to  pay  our  debts,  and  act  up  to  our 
word  and  promise  in  our  dealings  with  our  fellow-men.  For,  1.  such  an  honest 
disposition  is  an  invisible  qualification,  and  we  cannot  be  certain  that  men 
J»»ve  it  in  their  hearts ;  and  therefore  on  this  plan  there  can  be  no  visible  church. 
p.  48.  Besides,  2.  according  to  this,  the  design  of  God  must  have  been  to  have 
made  a  visible  distinction  between  honest  and  dishonest  men.  But  this  is  contra- 
ry to  Scripture,  which  represents  the  visible  church  like  a  net  which  catches  all 
sorte,  good  and  bad.  p.  49,  50.  3.  Admission  to  full  communion  on  this  plan  will 
do  hurt  to  men's  souls,  tend  to  make  them  think  they  are  honest  when  they  are 
not,  and  to  blow  up  pride  in  their  hearts,  and  to  make  them  say  with  the  Pharisee, 
(tod,  J  thank  ihce,  f  am  not  as  others  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  &c.  p.  52,53. 
And,  4.  it  will  tend  greatly  to  wound  religion,  when  afterwards  they  neglect  to  do 
as  they  say,  and  are  not  honest  to  pay  their  debts,  p.  54-  Besides,  5.  This  scheme 
makes  infant  baptism  a  mere  nullity .^  For  if  moral  honesty  is  a  necessary  qualifi- 
cation for  sealing  ordinances,  then  infants  cannot  receive  the  seal.  For  the  church 
can  have  no  positive  evidence  that  they  have  an  honest  disposition.  The  Anabap- 
tists, therefore,  are  right  in  rejecting  the  baptism  of  infants,  p.  54. 

These  are  Mr.  M.'s  "  most  weighty  and  material  objections,  an  answer  to  which 
he  has  never -yet  seen  attempted.'''  p.  48.  Butit  so  happens,  that  they  are  of 
equal  weight  against  himself,  unless  lie  will  sjiy,  that  moral  honesty  is  not  a  qualifi- 
cation necessary  for  church-membership. 


INCONSISTENT  WITH   ITSELF.  1Q1 

4.  No  public  profession  of  any  kind,  nor  freedom  from 
public  scandal,  are  necessary  in  order  to  a  visible  right  to  all 
church  privileges,  in  the  sight  of  men.  For,  if  our  real  right 
in  the  sight  of  God,  does  not  depend  on  any  internal  qualifi- 
cation, either  moral  or  gracious;  no  pretence  need  to  be 
made  to  any  such  qualification,  in  order  to  a  visible  right. 
The  Jew  had  nothing  to  do,  in  order  to  prove  his  right,  but 
only  to  make  it  appear,  that  he  had  been  circumcised.  And 
the  Christian  has  nothing  to  do,  in  order  to  prove  his  right, 
but  only  to  make  it  appear,  that  he  has  been  baptised.  Nor 
can  the  church  consistently  demand  any  thing  further,  on 
Mr.  M.'s  scheme.  For  what  he  says,  p.  22.  is  the  plain,  sim- 
ple truth  :  "  To  require  more  of  the  person  to  be  admitted 
into  the  church,  than  is  made  necessary  by  the  covenant  on 
which  it  is  framed,  is  really  absurd."  But  if  all  these  things 
are  true,  then  it  will  follow, 

1.  That  Mr.  M.  is  inconsistent  with  himself,  in  putting  an 
"outward  profession"  along  with  "  an  external  covenant  rela- 
tion," as  he  does  in  p.  9-  and  for  saying  as  he  does,  in  p.  21. 
"  I  will  allow  that  none  but  such  as  profess  the  Christian  reli- 
gion, and  will  endeavour  to  conform  his  practice  to  the  rules 
of  it,  ought  to  be  admitted  into  the  church  ;*'  and  for  assert- 
ing, p.  44.  that  "  the  disorderly  and  vicious  should  be  de- 
barred." For,  if  baptism  alone  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  a 
covenant  right  to  all  church  privileges;  then  baptism  alone 
is  all  that  ought  to  be  required  in  order  to  an  admission  into 
the  church.  Nor  is  a  public  profession,  or  freedom  from 
public  scandal,  at  all  requisite.  If  baptism  alone  gives  a  co- 
venant right  to  all  church  privileges,  if  there  is  "  a  promise 
left"  by  God  to  those  who  have  this;  no  man,  nor  any  num- 
ber of  men  under  heaven,  have  a  right  to  require  any.  thing 
else.  So  that,  to  insist  that  "  none  but  such  as  profess  the 
Christian  religion,  and  will  endeavour  to  conform  his  practice 
toi  the  rules  of  it,  ought  to  be  admitted  into  the  church  ;"  and 
that  "  disorderly  and  vicious  persons  ought  to  be  debarred ;" 
"  and  to  keep  such  back  from  enjoying  the  privileges  and 
means  appointed  for  the  good  of  their  souls,"  is  a  very  strange 
affair,  p.  59.  And  therefore,  to  use  Mr.  M.'s  own  word?, 
and  to  apply  them  to  his  own  conscience,  p.  58.  "  I 'would 


192  iiR  MATHER'S  SCHEME 

request  such  as  have  thought  and  acted  upon   this  scheme, 
impartially  to  examine  what  1  have  offered.     It  is  surely  no 
small  matter  to  shut  thg  kingdom  of  heaven,  (as  the  visible 
church  is  often  called,)  against  men,  and  not  to  suffer  such  to 
enter  as  would."     A  horrid  crime,  indeed  !  And  yet  the  very 
crime,  of  which  Mr.  M.  stands  publicly  convicted  out  of  his 
mouth.     For  he  shuts  the  kingdom  of  heaven   against  all 
baptised  persons,  and  will  not  admit  one  of  them  into  the 
church,  "  but  such  as  profess  the  Christian  religion,  and  en- 
deavour to  conform  their  practice  to  the  rules  of  it :"  ali 
though,  according  to  his  own  scheme,  they  are  as  much  in 
the  church  as  he  is,  and  have  as  good  a  right  to  all  church 
privileges  as  himself.     Therefore, 

2.  Mr.   M.  may  be  publicly  called  to  an  account,  and 
admonished  out  of  his  own  mouth,  in  his  own   words,  for 
making  infant  baptism  "  a  mere  nullity,  a  thing  of  nought," 
"  And  what  is  a  baptised  infant  to  be  accounted  of  ?    Is  he  a 
member  of  the  visible  church,  or  is  he  not  ?"  p.  54.    And  to 
be  rebuked  for  his  conduct,  for  practically  "  representing  and 
treating  such  as  are  baptised,  as  if  they  were  not  really  in  co- 
venant," p.  56«  by  refusing  to  admit  them  to  covenant  privi- 
leges without  a  profession,  when,  according  to  his  own  scheme, 
he  ought  to   tell  all  baptised   persons,  that  "  they  are  re- 
ally in  covenant  with  God  ;  that  they  are  members  of  the 
visible  church  ;  and  are  entitled  to  the  privileges  of  it,"  p.  55, 
56.  merely  by  their  baptism,  without  any  profession  at  all, 
and  without  any  endeavours  at  all,  even  all  of  them,  "old  and 
young,  moral  and  immoral."  p.  42.     For, 

3.  To  say,  that  "  the  disorderly  and   vicious  ought  to  be 
debarred,"  p.  44.  and  so  "  to  require  more  than  is  made  ne- 
cessary by  the  covenant,  on  which  the  church  is  framed,  is 
really  absurd."  p.  22.  For  if  baptism  gives  a  covenant  right 
to  the  Lord's  supper,  nothing  else  is  necessary. 

4.  To  say,  that  "  the  disocderly  and  vicious  ought  to  be 
debarred"  by  the  church,  is  to  say  implicitly,  that  such  ought 
to  debar  themselves ;  their  own  consciences  ought  to  pro- 
nounce sentence  upon  them.   But  what  if  a  man's  conscience 
should  happen  to  be  convinced  of  this  plain  Scripture  truth, 
that  to  rise  in  rebellion  against  the  great  God,  is  one  of  the? 


INCONSISTENT  WITH  ITSELF.  103 

most  "  disorderly"  things  a  creature  can  be  guilty  of ;  and 
that  to  continue  obstinate  in  this  rebellion,  after  all  the  exter- 
nal means  which  God  has  used  to  reclaim  us,  is  one  of  the 
most  "  vicious  .?"  Must  not  his  own  conscience  debar  him  on 
Mr.  M.'s  scheme  ?  Or  will  it  do  to  tell  such  a  man,  had  you 
been,  guilty  of  stealing  but  five  shillings  from  one  of  your 
neighbours,  for  this  sin,  if  considered  only  as  against  man, 
your  conscience  ought  to  have  debarred  you,  until  you  had 
come  to  repentance  and  made  restitution  ;  but  your  con- 
science ought  not  to  debar  you  for  being  an  obstinate,  im- 
penitent rebel  against  the  God  of  heaven,  the  great  Sove- 
reign of  the  universe  r"  Or  might  we  not,  for  telling  a  man 
thus,  be  in  danger  of  that  rebuke  in  Mark  xxiii.  24.  Ye  blind 
guides,  which  strain  at  a  gnat,  and  swallow  a  camel.  For,  to 
rise  in  rebellion  against  an  earthly  prince,  would  be  esteemed 
more  "  disorderly  and  vicious  than  barely  to  steal  five  shil- 
lings from  our  neighbour.  And  to  rise  in  rebellion  against 
the  great  God  is  doubtless  more  "  disorderly  and  vicious," 
than  to  rise  in  rebellion  against  an  earthly  monarch. — In  a 
word,  if  baptism  alone  does  not  entitle  to  all  clinch  privi- 
leges, both  "  young  and  old,  moral  and  immoral,"  p.  42. 
without  respect  to  any  mental  qualification  whatsoever,  it 
will  not  be  easy  to  find  a  place  where  a  man  may  set  his  foot 
down  and  be  consistent  with  himself,  unless  we  return  back 
to  the  good  old  way,  to  the  apostolic  plan,  according  to 
which,  not  baptism,  but  saving  faith,  is  considered  as  the  con- 
dition of  the  covenant,  and  that  which  entitles  to  all  its  bless- 
ings, Gal.  iii.  26.  29«  for  ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  And  if  ye.  are.  Christ's,  then  are  ye. 
Abrahams  seed, and  heirs  according  to  the  promise. 

Mr.-  M.  says,  p.  42.  "  As  to  baptised  children,  I  allow 
they  have  a  right  to  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  but 
not  a  right  of  immediate  possession  ;  according  to  the  apos- 
tle's representation  in  Gal.  iv.  12.  Now,  I  say,  that  the  heir, 
as  long  as  he  is  a  child,  difftreth  nothing  from  a  serrunf, 
though  he  be  lord  of  all,  but  is  under  tutors  and  gun  rnon, 
until  the  time  appointed  of  the  father'' — But  the  child,  though 
ever  so  young,  eats  bread  at  his  father's  table,  and  no  one  dis- 
putes his  right.  And  when  the  child  is  of  age,  and  his  father 

TOL.  ill.  25 


ly4  MR.  MATHER'S  SCHEME 

is  dead,  and  the  estate  is  to  be  divided  among  the  heirs,  the 
child  has  nothing  to  do  in  order  to  prove  his  right  to  a  share 
in  his  father's  estate,  hut  to  bring  a  certificate  from  the  town 
clerk,  in  order  to  prove  from  the  town  records,  that  he 
is  the  child  of  the  deceased.  Nor  is  such  a  child  obli- 
ged to  make  any  profession,  or  to  enter  into  any  cove- 
nant before  the  court  of  probate,  in  order  to  come  to  a 
possession  of  his  right.  The  law  gives  him  his  right  with- 
out any  such  pre-requisites.  For  his  right  is  not  founded  up- 
on any  thing  of  such  a  nature,  but  simply  upon  his  being 
the  child  of  such  a  father.  This  therefore  is  the  only  point 
fo  be  proved.  And  just  the  same  to  be  consistent,  must  be 
the  case  on  Mr.  M.'s  plan.  The  only  point  which  one  who 
was  baptised  in  infancy,  has  to  prove,  when  he  becomes  adult, 
in  order  to  take  possession  of  his  right,  is  that  he  was  bap- 
tised. Let  him  therefore  produce  a  well  attested  certificate 
of  this,  and  nothing  further  can  be  demanded. 

If  it  should  be  said,  that  all  that  Mr.  M.  means  is,  that  bap- 
tism gives  a  conditional  right  to  the  Lord's  table,  i.  e.  a  right 
upon  condition  of  a  profession  of  religion  and  freedom  from 
scandal ;  it  may  be  replied,  that  the  unbaptised  have  a  right 
to  sealing  ordinances  upon  these  conditions,  according  lo 
Mr.  M.'s  own  scheme,  and  therefore  this  cannot  be  his 
meaning.  For  this,  to  use  his  own  words,  would  be  to  make 
baptism  "  a  mere  nullity,  a  thing  of  naught."  But  this 
brings  us,  in  the  next  place,  to  observe, 

IE.  /That  Mr.  M.'s  ideas  of  the  peculiar  privileges  of  his 
external  covenant  are  also  inconsistent.  For  if  it  should  be 
inquired,  what  advantage  hath  Mr.  M.'s  graceless  covenant- 
or, or  what  profit  is  there  in  baptism  administered  upon  a 
graceless  covenant  ?  He  has  no  right,  upon  his  scheme,  to 
the  apostle's  answer  in  Rom.  iii.  1,  2.  Much  every  way,  &c. 
Jor, 

1.  As  lo  the  oracles  of  God,  which  he  claims  for  one  of 
ihe  chief  privileges  of  his  external  covenant,  p.  9-  he  will 
grant,  that  they  are  common  to  the  unbaptsied,  i.  e.  the  un- 
baptised  have  as  good  a  right  to  read  and  hear  the  word  of 
Goc),  as  the  baptised  have ;  and  as  good  a  right  to  believe 
and  embrace  the  Gospel.  For,  by  Christ's  last  commission, 


INCONSISTENT  WITH  ITSELF.  1Q5 

the  Gotpel  is  to  be  preached  to  all  nations,  to  the  uncircum- 
cised  Greek  as  well  as  to  the  circumcised  Jew  :  yea,  to  every 
creature  :  and  that,  previous  to,  and  in  order  to  prepare  men 
for  baptism,  Mark  xvi.  15,  16.  So  that  there  is  not  the  least 
need  of  being  in  his  external  covenant,  in  order  to  have  as 
good  a  right,  to  hear  and  believe,  and  be  justified  by  the 
Gospel,  as  any  man  on  earth  has.  For  there  is  no  difference 
Rom.  iii.  22.  compare  Mat.  x.  5,  6.  Mat.  xxviii.  19. 

2.  As  to  sealing  ordinances,  he  is  full  in  it,  that  baptism 
alone  gives  no  right  to  them,  for  ourselves,  or  for  our  chil- 
dren, which  can  be  enjoyed  without  a  profession  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  p.  21.  and  freedom  from  scandal,  p.  44.;  and 
one  who  never  was  baptised,  may  on  his  scheme,  be  admitted 
to  sealing  ordinances,  for  himself  and  his  children,  upon 
the  same  terms ;  no  higher,  nor  lower,  being  required.  So 
that  there  is  no  advantage,  in  this  respect,  in  being  in  his 
external  covenant. And, 

3-  As  to  the  influences  of  the  spirit,  whereby  the  means  of 
grace  are  rendered  effectual  to  the  salvation  of  sinners,  he 
holds,  that  no  unconverted  man  has  a  covenant  right  to 
them  ;  but  that  God  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy  : 
and  has  been  at  the  pains  to  publish  a  laboured  sermon  on 
the  subject,  to  prove  the  point,  and  to  answer  objections; 
which  was  printed  but  six  years  ago.  And  if  this  be  true, 
the  baptised  cannot  claim  a  covenant  right  to  these  influen- 
ces of  the  spirit,  any  more  than  the  unbaptised.  And  there- 
fore, although  in  the  book  now  under  consideration,  p.  59, 
00.  he  says,  "  a  child  dedicated  to  God  in  baptism  is  there- 
by brought  into  covenant  with  God,  and  has  a  promise  left 
to  it,  of  the  means  of  grace,  and  the  strivings  of  the  Spirit,  in 
order  to  render  them  effectual  for  salvation  :  but  an  unbap- 
tised child  is  left  in  the  kingdom  of  darkness  ;"  yet  it  is  true, 
on  his  own  scheme,  that  such  a  baptised  child,  while  in  a 
Christless  state,  is  under  the  wrath  of  God,  the  curse  of  the 
law,  a  child  of  the  devil,  and  an  heir  of  hell,  and  is  depend- 
ant on  God's  sovereign  mercy,  as  really  as  any  other  child. 
Yea,  he  declares,  in  his  sermon  on  Divine  Sovereignty,  p.  5, 
6.  that  "  sometimes  those  who  to  an  eye  of  reason  are  the 
most  likely  to  partake  of  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  are  pass- 


196  MR.  MATHER'S  SCHEME 

ed  by ;  and  others  of  whom  we  have  little  or  no  hope,  are 
recovered  by  sovereign  grace,  and  enriched  with  saving  mer- 
cy. Thus  we  should  have  thought  Judas,  who  was  one  of 
Christ's  disciples,  and  his  constant  follower,  was  more  likely 
to  obtain  the  blessing  of  saving  mercy  than  Saul,  who  was  a 
fierce,  zealous,  and  open  enemy  to  Christ :  but  we  see  God 
ordered  it  otherwise."  And  he  adds,  p.  7*  "  This  was  not  a 
thing  peculiar  to  that  generation :  but  is  is  the  sovereign 
grace  of  God,  by  which  any  one,  at  any  time,  is  brought  to 
obey  the  truth  to  the  saving  of  his  soul.'* 

4.  As  to  the  ad  vantage  of  church  discipline,  Mr.  M.  grants, 
what  every  body  knows  to  be  too  true,  that  the  baptised  are 
taken  no  more  care  of,  generally,  than  the  unbaptised.  p.  56. 
Nor  will  it  mend  the  matter,  if  we  should  all  embrace  Mr. 
M.'s  scheme,  aud  till  up  our  churches  more  and  more  with 
nngodly  men.  For  Gospel  discipline  never  was,  and  never 
will  be,  maintained  by  ungospel  churches.  For  so  long  as 
men  are  themselves  at  heart  enemies  to  the  religion  of  Christ, 
its  doctrines  and  duties,  they  will  not  themselves  be  cordial- 
ly subject  to  its  doctrines  and  duties ;  much  less  join  heartily 
to  bring  others  to  be  in  subjection  to  them.  As  it  is  written, 
Mat.  vii.  16,  17-  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  Jigs  of 
thistles  ?  £w»  40  etery  good  tree  bri/igttk  forth  good  Jruit  ; 
but  a  corrupt  tret  bringetk  forth  corrupt  fruit. 

III.  Nor  are  his  ideas  of  the  seals  of  the  covenant  any 
more  consistent.  For, 

His  notion  of  a  seal  is,  that  it  is  a  rite  of  confirmation, 
whereby,  in  a  mutnal  covenant,  both  parties  bind  themselves 
to  comply  with  the  covenant  contained  in  the  written  instru- 
ment. But  be  grants,  that  in  the  written  instrument,  in  the 
present  case,  the  covenant  of  grace  is  contained,  and  is  the 
principal  thing ;  and  yet,  by  sealing  thin  instrument  we  do 
not  pretend  to  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace  in 
our  own  consciences,  or  .profess  any  such  thing  before  the 
world.  Nay,  «e  do  not  profess  to  have,  in  the  lowest  de- 
gree, a  heart  to  com  pi  \  with  it,  nor  mean  that  the  act  of  seal- 
ing should  have  this  import ;  although  in  all  other  matters, 
except  those  of  religion,  this  is  what  is  meant  by  sealing. 
But  instead  of  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  which 


INCONSISTENT  WITH  ITSBLF.  197 

is  the  principal  thing,  according  to  him,  contained  in  the 
written  instrument,  we  only  profess  a  compliance  with  his 
graceless  covenant,  and  bind  ourselves  to  such  religious  ex- 
ercises and  endeavours,  as  are  consistent  with  a  total  rejec- 
tion of  the  covenant  of  grace  in  our  hearts  :  even  such  a  total 
rejection,  as  God  threatens  with  eternal  damnation,  p.  36,  37» 
But  of  this  we  have  spoken  before,  Sect.  V. 

Thus  inconsistent  are  Mr.  M.'s  notions  of  his  external  co- 
venant, its  conditions,  its  peculiar  privileges,  and  its  seals. 

To  mention  but  one  inconsistence  more  in  Mr.  M.'s  scheme. 
The  external  covenant  is,  according  to  him,  the  appointed 
means ;  and  saving  faith  and  conversion,  or  a  compliance 
with  the  covenant  of  grace,  is  the  end.  p.  10,  11.  And  yet 
he  says,  p.  8.  "  Although  a  person  was  in  a  state  of  grace, 
and  was  consequently  included  in  the  covenant  of  grace, 
yet  this  covenant  remained  to  be  complied  with  :  Abraham 
was  a  true  believer  before,  yet  he  must  needs  be  circumcised." 
But  if  Abraham  was  converted  and  justified  before  he  was 
circumcised,  then  circumcision  was  not  instituted  as  a  means 
of  his  conversion,  or  as  a  pre-requisite  to  his  justification. 
Mr.  M.  adds,  p.  12.  that  his  external  graceless  covenant  is 
also  to  be  a  means  "  to  train  up  believers  in  holiness."  That 
is,  holy  Abraham,  instead  of  those  holy  exercises  in  which  he 
had  lived  above  20  years,  even  ever  since  he  began  a  holy 
life,  was  in  Gen.  xvii.  by  God  Almighty  laid  under  covenant 
bonds,  to  enter  into  a  course  of  unholy  religious  exercises, 
such  as  take  place  in  impenitent  self-righteous  sinners,  to  the 
end  that  he  might  "  be  trained  up  in  holiness."  Gal.  iii.  3. 
Are  ye  so  foolish  ?  having  begun  in  the  spirit,  are  ye  now  made 
perfect  by  thejiesh  $  Besides, 

That  believers  should  be  under  the  bonds  of  two  cove- 
nants, of  a  nature  as  contrary  and  inconsistent  as  sin  and  ho- 
liness, is  what  cannot  be  rendered  consistent.  And  to  say, 
that  this  external  covenant  is  neither  sinful  nor  holy,  is  either 
to  say,  that  there  is  a  whole  system  of  religious  exercises  of 
heart,  which  are  neither  conformable  norunconformable  with 
the  holy  law  of  God  :  which  is  to  deny,  that  the  law  of  God 
is  a  universal  rule  of  life,  contrary  to  the  whole  tenour  of 
Scripture.  GaK  iii.  10.  Mat.  xxii.  37 — 4O.  1  Cor.  x.  31. 


198  MR.  MATHER'S  SCHEME 

Or  which  is  equally  absurd,  to  say,  that  no  exercise  of  heart 
is  required  in  his  external  covenant ;  nothing  hut  bodily  mo- 
tions, unconnected  with  the  heart. 

Indeed  the  very  notion  of  two  rules  of  duty,  a  holy,  and 
an  unholy  one,  which  is  essential  to  his  notion  of  two  cove> 
nants,  is  an  inconsistence.  For  two  contrary  laws,  instead 
of  binding  both  at  once,  must  mutually  destroy  each  other, 
and  can,  neither  of  them,  bind  to  any  thing.  That  law 
which  is  a  school-master  to  bring  us  to  Christ,  requires  sinless 
perfection  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation.  Compare  Gal.  iii. 
24.  with  verse  10. 

And  thus  I  have  finished  the  remarks  which  I  design  to 
make  on  Mr.  Mather's  book.  There  are  other  things  con- 
tained in  it  equally  exceptionable  ;  but  if  his  external  cove- 
nant, which  is  the  foundation  of  his  whole  scheme,  is  proved 
to  be  an  unscriptural  and  inconsistent  thing,  his  whole  scheme 
is  sufficiently  confuted.  Besides,  while  the  whole  controversy 
is  reduced  to  one  single  point,  the  common  people  will  be 
under  better  advantages  to  make  a  judgment  for  themselves. 
But  now,  the  only  point  which  the  reader  has  to  determine, 
in  order  to  settle  the  whole  controversy  in  his  own  mind,  is 
this,  viz.  Are  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  seals  of  the  co- 
venant of  grace,  or  of  a  graceless  covenant? 

To  conclude  : 

Let  it  be  remembered,  that  "  the  Westminster  confession  of 
faith,"  which  is  adopted  by  the  church  of  Scotland  ;  and  the 
Savoy  confession  of  faith,"  which  is  adopted  by  the  churches 
in  Massachusetts  and  in  Connecticut;  declare  that  "sacra- 
ments are  holy  signs  and  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace." 
And  let  it  be  remembered,  that  these  confessions  of  faith  know 
nothing  of  Mr.  M.'s  external  graceless  covenant,  either  name 
or  thing.  And  let  it  also  be  remembered,  that  "  the  heads 
of  agreement"  which  were  assented  to  in  England  in  the  last 
century,  by  those  called  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists, 
and  which  are  adopted  by  the  churches  in  Connecticut,  declare, 
"  that  none  shall  be  admitted  as  members,  in  order  to  com- 
munion in  all  the  special  ordinances  of  the  Gospel,  but  such 
persons  as  are  knowing  and  sound  in  the  fundamental  doctrine 
of  the  Christian  religion  :  without  scandal  in  their  lives;  and 


INCONSISTENT  WITH  ITSELF.  199 

to  a  judgment  regulated  by  the  word  of  God,  are  persons  of 
visible  holiness  and  honesty,  credibly  professing  cordial  sub- 
jection to  Jesus  Christ."  Ezek.  xliv.  Q.  Rom.  x.  10.  And 
further,  let  it  be  remembered,  that  this  is  the  plan  on  which 
these  churches  are  professedly  founded. 

For  the  general  council  at  Saybrook,  A.  D.  1708,  came 
unanimously  into  this  result,  viz.  "As  we  assent  to  the 
"  foregoing  heads  of  agreement,  so  we  unanimously  resolve, 
"  as  the  Lord  shall  enable  us,  to  practise  according  to  them." 

Now  the  question  is,  whether  this  plan  is  agreeable  to  the 
word  of  God,  or  not.  For  we  are  all  agreed,  that  the  word  of 
God  is  the  only  standard  by  which  all  creeds  and  confessions 
of  human  composure,  are  to  be  tried.  Mr.  Mather  has  offer- 
ed what  he  thought  proper  on  the  one  side,  and  I  have  of- 
fered what  to  me  appears  needful  on  the  other,  and  now  it 
belongs  to  every  reader  to  judge  for  himself. 

And  now,  therefore,  Oh,  reader,  as  this  grand  and  import- 
ant question  in  which  thy  soul  is  deeply  interested,  as  well 
as  the  souls  of  many  thousands  of  others,  is  referred  to  thee, 
that  thou  mayest  make  a  judgment  for  thyself ;  so  I  entreat 
thet  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  elect  an- 
gtls,  who  are  spectators  in  this  controversy,  to  set  aside  all 
carnal  affections  and  worldly  considerations,  and  to  view 
the  whole  in  the  light  of  God's  holy  word,  and  to  make  up 
a  judgment  for  thyself,  as  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  with 
the  same  uprightness  and  impartiality,  as  though  the  last  trum- 
pet was  to  sound  on  the  morrow,  concerning  this  question, 
viz.  Whether  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are  seals  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  or  of  a  graceless  covenant  ®  For  on  this 
single  point  turns  the  whole  controversy.  And  now,  may  God 
Almighty,  the  Father  of  lights,  grant  unto  thee  a  discerning 
mind  and  a  sound  judgment,  of  his  infinite  mercy,  through 
Jesus  Christ.  AMEN. 


A  CAREFUL  AND  STRICT  EXAMINATION 

OF    THE 

EXTERNAL  COVENANT, 

AND  OF  THE  PRINCIPLES  BY  WHICH  IT  IS  SUPPORTED  : 

A  REPLY 

TO  THE  REV.  MR.  MOSES  MATHER'S  PIECE,  ENTITLED, 

THE  VISIBLE  CHURCH  IN  COVENANT  WITH  GOD, 

FURTHER    ILLUSTRATED,  &C. 

A    VINDICATION 

OF  THE  PLAN*  ON  WHICH  THE  CHURCHES  IN  NEW-ENGLAND 
WERE  ORIGINALLY  FORMED. 

INTERSPERSED   WITH    REMARKS    UPON    SOME   THINGS    ADVANCED    BT 

MR.    SANDEMAN,    ON    SOME   OF    THE    IMPORTANT 

POINTS    IN    DEBATE. 


"  I  do  not  mention  the  administration  of  sacraments  upon  this  occasion ;  because, 
"  though  they  have  so  nohle  and  effectual  a  tendency  to  improve  men's  minds  in 
"  piety,  and  to  promote  Christian  edification  ;  yet  I  do  not  remember  to  have 
"  heard  of  any  instance  in  which  they  have  been  the  means  of  men's  conversion  ; 
"  which  is  the  less  to  be  wondered  at,  as  they  are  appointed  for  a  very  different 
"  end."  DR.  DODDRIDGE'S  Sermon  on  Keffeneration. 


VOL.  in.  26 


PREFACE. 

THE  design  of  my  writing  on  the  sacramental  controversy, 
has  been  to  vindicate  the  plan  on  which  the  churches  in 
New  England  were  originally  formed,  when  this  country  was 
first  settled  by  our  forefathers.  And  in  order  to^this,  I  have 
had  it  in  my  view  to  prove  these  three  propositions,  viz. 

I.  That  those  who  are  qualified  to  offer  their  children  in 
baptism,  are  equally  qualified  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table  ;  and 
that  therefore  the  half-nay  practice  which  has  so  much  pre- 
vailed of  late  in  the  country,  is  unscriptural. 

II.  That  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  are  seals  of  the  co- 
venant  of  grace  :  and  that  therefore  those  who  know  they 
have  no  grace,  cannot  be  active  in  sealing  of  it,  consistently 
with  honesty  and  a  good  conscience. 

III.  That  there  is  no  graceless  covenant  between  God  and 
man   exi&ting,  suited  to    the   state  and  temper  of  graceless 
men,  a  compliance  with  which  they  might,  as  such,  consistently 
profess  and  seal :  and  that  therefore  there  is  no  door  open 
for  graceless  men,  as  such,  to  enter  into  covenant  with  God. 
I  say,  I  have  had  it  in  my  view  to  prove, 

1.  That  those  who  are  qualified  to  offer  their  children  in 
baptism,  are  equally  qualified  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table  : 
and  that  therefore  the  half-way  practice  which  of  late  has  so 
much  prevailed  in  the  country,  is  unscriptural.  And  this 
point  theoretically  considered,  seems  to  be  settled.  With  re- 
spect to  this,  Mr.  Mather  in  his  book,  entitled,  the  Visible 
Church  in  covenant  with  God  further  illustrated,  8tc.  says,  p. 
78.  '  As  to  the  half-way  practice,  I  am  in  it,  but  not  for  it.  1 
have  no  disposition  to  oppose  the  doctor  in  his  endeavouring 
to  break  up  that  unscriptural  practice.'  And  since  those 
ministers  who  are  in  this  practice,  do  grant  it  to  be  unscrip- 
ral ;  which,  so  far  as  I  know,  all  of  them  do  ;  nothing  now 
remains  but  to  put  them  in  mind,  that  '  the  second  com- 
mandment requireth  the  receiving,  observing,  and  keeping 
pure  and  entire  all  such  religious  worship  and  ordinances  as 
God  hath  appointed  in  his  word.'  And  the  commission  of 


$04  PREFACE. 

our  Lord  and  Master  obligeth  us  to  teach  his  disciples  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  he  hath  commanded  them.  And 
how  unkind  must  it  be  in  the  people,  to  necessitate  their 
ministers,  to  counteract  their  own  consciences,  by  continuing 
in  an  unscriptural  practice  in  condescension  to  their  ig- 
norant, unscriptural  notions  !  But  much  more  unkind  still 
must  it  be  in  clergymen  who  know  the  practice  to  be  un- 
scriptural, to  lift  up  their  voices  "on  high,  and  raise  a  popular 
clamour  against  those  ministers  who,  at  no  small  risk,  venture 
to  lay  aside  the  practice,  that  they  may  approve  themselves 
to  God,  and  to  their  own  consciences.  But  it  may  be  said  to 
Mr.  Mather's  honour,  that  he  is  not  of  the  number  of  those 
who  act  so  unkind  a  part  to  honest  men  p. 

2.  Another  point  I  undertook  to  prove,  was  this,  viz  That 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are  seals  of  the  covenant  of 
grace.  This  was  one  chief  point  I  had  in  view  in  my  answer 
to  Mr.  M.'s  former  book  on  this  controversy.  And  this  point 
also  Mr.  M.  expressly  grants  me  in  his  second  book.  P.  58. 

p  Our  forefathers  began  to  settle  in  New-England  in  1620,— without  the 
half-way  practice.  It  was  brought  in  1662,  forty  years  after ;  when  the  first 
generation  were  generally  dead,  by  a  synod  at  Boston.  This  synod  professed 
to  believe  that  none  had  a  right  to  the  seals  for  themselves,  or  their  children, 
but  true  believers,  and  real  saints  :  however,  they  thought  a  less  -degree  of 
grace  would  qualify  for  one  ordinance,  than  for  the  other.  And  on  this  princi- 
ple the  half-way  practice  was  introduced.  The  principle  they  acted  upon  is 
now  given  up.  We  are  all  agreed,  that  he  who  is  qualified  to  offer  his  chil- 
dren in  baptism,  is  equally  qualified  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table.  And  so  we 
are  all  agreed,  that  the  half-way  practice  is  unscriptural.  Some  feel  them- 
selves bonnd  in  conscience  to  make  the  Scripture  their  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice  :  others  do  not  think  themselves  bound.  On  this  point  let  the  follow- 
ing texts  be  consulted,  Deut.  iv.  2.  Mat.  v.  19.  Luke  vi.  46.  and  Chap.  xxii.  19. 
Jam.  ii.  10.  Mat.  xxviii.  20.  and  ch.  xv.  6.  Besides,  we  who  are  ministers,  may  do 
•well  to  consider,  that  although  our  congregations,  while  secure  in  sin,  may  be 
well  pleased  with  an  unscriptural  practice,  and  with  us  for  continuing  in  it, 
against  the  light  of  our  own  consciences  ;  yet,  if  they  should  ever  be  awakened 
out  of  their  carnal  security,  if  they  should  ever  be  converted,  our  conduct 
might  stand  in  a  shocking  point  of  light,  in  the  view  of  their  consciences. — And 
yet,  from  sabbath  to  sabbath,  we  pray  that  the  Spirit  of  God  may  be  poured  out, 
and  that  sinners  may  be  convinced  and  converted. — This  affair  doubtless  gives 
pain  to  many  a  heart.  What  a  pity  it  is,  that  the  clergy  have  not  a  heart  to 
unite  in  what  they  know  to  be  the  true  scriptural  practice  !  1'he  honour  of 
Christ  and  of  Christianity  are  interested  in  this  matter.  It  ought  to  be  attend- 
ed to  with  the  utmost  seriousness  and  honcstv. 


PREFACE.  S©a 

speaking  of  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  he  says,  '  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  was  evidently  and  confessedly  contained,  set 
forth,  and  confirmed,  by  the  particular  appointment  of  cir- 
cumcision.' But  if  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are  seals 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  how  can  those  who  knowingly  reject 
the  covenant  of  grace  in  their  hearts,  seal  it  with  their  hands, 
consistently  with  honesty  and  a  good  conscience  ?  Here  it 
may  not  he  amiss  to  repeat  some  of  the  articles  of  the  creed 
published  in  my  fourth  dialogue,  that  the  reader  may  judge 
for  himself  whether  they  are  true  or  not.  *  I  believe  that 
any  man  who  seals  any  covenant,  doth,  in  and  by  the  act  of 
sealing,  declare  his  compliance  with  that  covenant  which  he 
seals :  because  this  is  the  import  of  the  act  of  sealing.  1  be- 
lieve that  it  is  of  the  nature  of  lying,  to  seal  a  covenant,  with 
which  1  do  not  now,  and  never  did  comply  in  my  heart ;  but 
rather  habitually  and  constantly  reject.  Therefore,  I  be- 
lieve that  a  man  who  knows  he  has  no  grace,  cannot  seal  the 
covenant  of  grace,  honestly  and  with  a  good  conscience.'  It 
belongs  to  Mr.  Mather,  if  he  means  to  maintain,  that  those 
who  know  they  have  no  grace,  can  seal  the  covenant  of  grace 
honestly  and  with  a  good  conscience,  to  say  how.  For  as 
yet  he  has  said  nothing  on  this  point.  And  indeed,  we  must 
either  give  up  the  import  of  sealing  ;  or  give  up  the  covenant 
of  grace,  as  the  covenant  to  be  sealed  ;  or  say  that  graceless 
men  have  some  grace,  and  do  in  a  measure  truly  and  really 
eomply  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  so  have  really  a  title 
to  pardon  and  eternal  life,  or  we  cannot  be  consistent:  nor 
then  neither.  For  to  say,  that  graceless  men  have  some  grace, 
is  a  contradiction.  And  to  say  they  have  no  grace,  and  yet 
may  honestly  seal  the  covenant  of  grace,  is  to  deny  the  im- 
port of  sealing;  for  sealing  a  covenant  always  denotes  a 
present  consent  of  heart  to  the  covenant  sealed.  And  there- 
fore, to  seal  a  covenant  which  I  reject  with  my  whole  heart, 
is  a  practical  falsehood.  But  if  I  do  not  reject  it  with  my 
whole  heart,  I  have  a  degree  of  true  love  to  it ;  that  is,  [ 
have  a  degree  of  true  grace :  and  so  am  in  a  pardoned  and 
justified  state.  But  still  it  remains  true,  that  those  who  know 
they  have  no  grace,  cannot  sea!  the  covenant  of  grace  with  a 
good  conscience,  because  it  is  a  practical  falsehood.  Indeed, 


2'06  PREFACE. 

men  may  be  so  far  gone  in  wickedness,  as  to  allow  them- 
selves in  lying  to  God  and  man  ;  hut  their  conduct  cannot  be 
justified,  \\hen,  with  the  assembled  universe,  they  appear  be- 
fore the  bar  of  God.  For  as  has  been  said,  staling  a  covenant 
always  denotes  a  present  consent  of  heart  to  the  covenant  seal- 
ed. In  this  sense  it  has  always  been  understood  by  mankind 
in  their  covenants  between  one  another  in  deeds,  in  bonds,  &c. 
Sealing  denotes  a  present  consent  of  heart  to  the  contents  of 
the  written  instrument :  and  therefore  no  honest  man  will  seal 
the  written  instrument  until  in  heart  he  consents  to  the  con- 
tents of  it.  And  should  any  man  seal  a  written  instrument, 
and  at  the  same  time  declare  before  evidences  that  at  pre- 
sent he  did  not  consent  to  it,  it  was  not  his  free  act  and  deed, 
the  act  of  sealing  would  in  its  own  nature  be  of  no  signifi- 
cance. The  whole  transaction  would  be  perfect  trifling.  Mr. 
M.  says,  p.  60.  f  I  am  very  sensible,  that  the  Christian  church 
has  always  esteemed  sealing  ordinances  as  seals  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace.  On  God's  part,  they  are  seals  to  the  truth  of 
the  whole  revealed  will  of  God.  On  our  part,  they  are  seals 
binding  us  to  pay  a  due  regard  to  the  whole  revelation. 
And  accordingly,  any  breach  of  moral  rule  or  gospel-pre- 
cept, has  been  esteemed  by  the  church  as  a  breach  of  cove- 
nant in  its  members.'  He,  therefore,  who  is  habitually, 
totally  destitute  of  that  holiness  which  the  law  of  God  re- 
quires, and  of  that  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  to- 
ward our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  which  in  the  Gospel  we 
are  invited,  and  lives  in  a  total  neglect  of  that  religion 
which  flows  from  the  love,  repentance,  and  faith  requir- 
ed in  the  law  and  Gospel  :  even  he  does  not  consent  to 
the  covenant  of  grace  in  his  heart,  in  the  least  degree,  but 
lives  habitually,  totally,  and  universally  in  the  breach  of  it, 
without  ever  complying  with  it  in  one  single  act. — And  can 
a  man,  conscious  to  himself  that  this  is  his  character,  with  a 
good  conscience  seal  this  -covenant !  Or  can  a  Christian 
church  allow  of  such  hypocrisy  ! 

3.  The  other  point  which  I  designed  to  prove  was  this, 
that  there  is  no  graceless  covenant  between  God  and  man 
existing  ;  that  is,  no  covenant  in  which  God  promises  reli- 
gious privileges  and  spiritual  blessings  to  graceless  men,  upon 


PREFACE.  207 

graceless  conditions  ;  i.  e.  to  graceless  qualifications,  which 
graceless  men,  while  such,  may  have :  and  that,  therefore, 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  cannot  be  seals  to  such  a  co- 
venant.— And  Mr.  M.  in  his  preface  seems  as  if  he  intended 
to  give  up  this  point  also  :  for  he  calls  this  graceless  cove- 
nant '  a  graceless  phantom  :'  which  is  really  to  grant  the 
whole  which  I  contend  for.  For  this  is  the  very  point  I 
meant  to  prove,  viz.  the  non-existence  of  such  a  covenant. 
For  God's  covenant  requires  holiness,  and  nothing  else.  And 
it  promises  eternal  life  to  those  who  comply  with  it.  But  its 
blessings  are  not  promised  to  graceless  men,  as  such,  nor  to 
graceless  qualifications. 

However,  if  we  will  read  Mr.  M.'s  book  through,  we  shall 
see  that  he  is  so  far  from  giving  up  this  covenant,  as  *  a 
graceless  phantom,'  that  he  has  exerted  himself  to  the  ut- 
most to  save  this  '  graceless  phantom'  from  non-existence. 
Because,  without  it,  he  knows  no  way  in  which  graceless  men, 
as  such,  can  be  admitted  into  the  visible  church  of  Christ. 
For  he  does  not  pretend,  that  they  can  make  a  profession  of 
godliness  :  yea,  he  is  confident,  that  none  may  warrantably 
make  a  profession  of  godliness,  unless  they  have  the  highest 
degree  of  assurance,  (p.  79-)  There  must  therefore  be  a 
graceless  covenant  for  graceless  men,  as  such  ;  to  profess 
which,  requires  nothing  more,  nothing  higher,  than  graceless 
qualifications  as  necessary  conditions  of  its  blessings ;  or 
graceless  men,  as  such,  cannot  profess  a  present  consent  to 
any  covenant  at  all  ;  and  so  cannot  be  admitted  as  members 
of  the  visible  church,  which  he  says  '  is  in  covenant  with 
God  ;'  or  have  a  covenant  right  to  covenant  blessings.  For 
they  who  are  destitute  of  the  qualifications  necessary  to  a  co- 
venant right  to  covenant  blessings,  can  have  no  covenant 
right  to  them.  To  say  otherwise,  is  an  express  contradiction. 

The  method  which  in  my  former  piece  I  took  to  prove 
the  non-existence  of  such  a  graceless  covenant  as  has  been 
described,  was,  1.  To  turn  the  reader  to  the  covenant  with 
Abraham,  the  covenant  at  Sinai  and  in  the  plains  of  Moab, 
and  to  the  Gospel  covenant,  that  he  might  see  with  his  own  eyes, 
that  these  were,  each  of  them,  holy  covenants,  which  requir- 
ed a  holy  faith,  a  holy  love,  a  holy  repentance,  a  holy  obe- 


208  PREFACE. 

dience ;  and  that  those  who  have  these  holy  qualifications 
are  entitled  to  eternal  life.     Nor  is  there  any  matter  of  fact 
in  Scripture  plainer  than  this.     So  that   none  of  these  were 
that  graceless  covenant  for  which  Mr.   M.  contends  :  which 
promises  its  blessings  to  graceless  men,  as   such.     Nor  has 
Mr.  M.  pointed  out  one  unholy  duty  in  that  covenant  with 
Abraham,  (Gen.  17-)  nor  one  unholy  duty   in   that  covenant 
at  Sinai,  or  in  that  covenant  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  or  in  the 
Gospel  covenant.     Nor  has  he  denied,  that  eternal  life  is 
promised  to  every  one  who  complies  with  God's  covenant,  as 
exhibited  in  these  various  ways,  at  these  several  times.     So 
that  my  argument,  from  the  nature  of  the  .covenant,  as  it  is 
to  be  found  in  the  written  instrument,  stands  unanswered. 
And  let  it  be  remembered,  that  this  argument   is  conclusive; 
without  determining  the  nature  of  holiness,  or  faith,  or  repent- 
ance, or  entering  at  all  into  the  disputes  which  subsist  be- 
tween the  Calvinists,  Arminians,   Neonomians,  Antinomians, 
&c.  relative  to  the  perfection  of  the  divine  law,  total  depra- 
vity, regeneration,  &c.  &c.     For  if  it  be  proved  that  God's 
covenant,  to  which  God's  seals  are  annexed,  promises  salva- 
tion to  those  who  consent  to  it,  and   that  there  is  a  certain 
connexion  between  a  real  compliance  with  it  and  eternal 
life,  then  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  to  which  he  says   the 
seals  are  annexed,  which  does  not  promise  salvation  to  those 
who  consent  to  it,  nor  establishes  any  certain  connexion  be- 
tween a  real  compliance  with  it  and  eternal  life,  is  essentially 
different  from  God's  covenant,  and  so  is,  strictly  speaking,  'a 
graceless  phantom.'  But,  1.  In  order  to  prove  the  non-exist- 
ence of  a  graceless  covenant,  I  introduced  the  doctrines  of 
the  perfection  of  the  divine  /arc),  and  of  total  depravity,  into 
the  argument,  as  thus,  since  the  divine  law  requires  holiness, 
and  nothing  but  holiness,  and  since  the  unregenerate  are  to* 
tally  destitute  of  the  holiness  required,  there  is  therefore  no 
covenant  existing  between  -God  and  man,  with   which   the 
unregenerate,  while  such,  do  comply  in  the  least  degree.  Up- 
on which  Mr.  M.  declares,  '  that  he  is  become  sensible  that 
our  different  sentiments  in  this  particular,  (terms  of  commu- 
nion,) is  in  a  great  measure,  owing  to  our  thinking  differently 
upon  other  important  points.'     And  so  he  has  offered  to  the 


PREFACE.  409 

public  his  own  scheme  of  religion,   which  may  be  summed 
up  in  these  eight  articles. 

1.  That  self-love  is  essential  to  moral  agency.     And, 

2.  That  this  self-love,  which  is  essential  to  moral  agency,  it 
by  the  divine  law  required  of  us  as  our  duty. 

3.  That  this  self-love,  which  is  essential  to  moral  agency 
and  our  required  duty,  is  in  our  present  guilty  state  absolutely 
inconsistent  with  that  love  to  God  which  the  law  originally 
required  of  Adam  before  the  fall,  and  which  is  still  required  in 
the  moral  law. 

4.  That  our  natural  total  depravity  arises  merely  and  only 
from  its  being  thus  inconsistent  with  this  self-love  to  love 
God. 

3.  That  in  these  circumstances  it  is  contrary  to  the  law  of 
God,  and  so  a  sinful  thing,  for  us  to  love  God. 

6.  That  our  natural  total  depravity  not  being  of  a  criminal 
nature,   doth    not   disqualify   us  for  sealing  ordinances;  as 
it  entirely  ceases  to  be  our  duty  since  the  fall,  to  love  that 
character  of  God  which  was  exhibited  in  the  law  to  Adam. 

And  more  especially, 

7.  That  new  since  the  fall  we  are  naturally  inclined  and 
disposed,  our  total  depravity  notwithstanding,  to  love  the 
new  character  of  God  which  is  revealed  in  the  Gospel,  so 
that  we  shall'without  fail,  love  it  as  soon  as  known,  without 
any  new  principle  of  grace.     For  these  things  being  true,  it 
will  follow, 

8.  That  unregenerate  sinners,  who  are  awakened  and  ex- 
ternally reformed,  must  be  considered  as  being  in  the  tem- 
per of  their  hearts  as  well  affected  to  the  Gospel,  did  they 
but  know  it,  as  the  regenerate ;  and  their  religious  desires 
and  endeavours  as  being  of  the  same  nature  and  tendency. 
And  therefore  they  may  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  and 
attend  sealing  ordinances,  with  as  much  propriety  as  the  re- 
generate. 

This  is  the  sum  and  substance  of  his  scheme.  And  in  this 
scheme  of  principles  we  may  see  the  fundamental  grounds  of 
his  thinking  differently  from  us,  in  the  particular  point  un- 
der consideration,  viz.  the  terms  of  communion. 

The  design  of  the  following  sheets  is,  first  of  all,  to  review 

VOL.  in.  27 


210  PREFACE. 

Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  to  see  if  its  true  and  real  nature 
can  be  known  ;  and  then  to  show  its  inconsistence  with 
the  doctrines  of  the  perfection  of  the  divine  law,  and  of  total 
depravity,  as  held  forth  in  the  public  formulas  approved  by 
the  church  of  Scotland,  and  by  the  churches  in  New-Eng- 
land. After  which  the  leading  sentiments  of  his  scheme  of 
religion  shall  be  considered,  his  mistakes  be  pointed  out,  and 
the  opposite  truths  be  briefly  stated  and  proved  from  the  word 
of  God  ;  that  the  nature  of  ancient  apostolic  Christianity 
may  be  ascertained  from  the  infallible  oracles  of  truth  ;  to 
the  end  that  the  right  road  to  heaven  may  be  kept  open  and 
plain  for  the  direction  of  awakened  sinners,  an.d  for  the  con- 
firmation and  comfort  of  .young  converts. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Several  phrases  explained,  and  questions  stated. 

IN  order  to  prevent  and  cut  off  all  needless  disputes,  and 
that  the  reader  may  clearly  understand  the  following  sheets, 
the  meaning  of  several  phrases  shall  be  explained.  Particu- 
larly, 

1.  By  &  conditional  covenant  is  meant,  a  covenant  which 
promises  its  blessings  upon  some  certain  condition  ;  so  that 
no  one  can  claim  a  covenant  right  to  its  blessings,  if  destitute 
of  the  requisite  qualifications. 

3.  By  the  covtnant  of  works  is  meant,  that  covenant 
which  promises  eternal  life  upon  condition  of  perfect  obedi- 
ence, through  the  appointed  time  of  trial,  and  threatens  eter- 
nal death  for  one  transgression. 

3.  By  the  covenant  oj  grace  is  meant,  that  covenant  which 
promises  pardon,  justification,  and  eternal  life  through  Jesus 
Christ,  to  all  who  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel ;  i.  e.  to  real 
saints,  and  to  no  others. 

4.  By  a  graceltss  covenant  is  meant,  a  covenant  which 
promises  its  blessing  to  graceless  men,  as  such,  on  certain 
conditions,  or  qualifications,  which  are  professedly  graceless., 
and  which  may  take  place  in  graceless  men,  while  such. 

5.  By  complying  with  a  covenant  is  meant,  doing  that,  or 
having  those  qualifications  which,  according  to  the  tenour 
of  the  covenant,  entitles  to  its  blessings.     Thus,  for  instance, 
Adam  could  not  have  been  said  to  have  complied  with  the 
covenant  of  works  which  he  was  under,  until  he  had  perse- 
vered in  perfect  obedience,  through  the  whole  time  of  trial. 
For  nothing  short  of  this  would  have  entitled  him  to  a  con- 
firmed state  of  holiness  and  happiness,  i.  e.  to  eternal  life;  as 
all  grant.     And  thus  a  sinner  cannot  be  said  to  have  com- 
plied with  the  covenant  of  grace,  whatever  legal   terrors  he 
has  had,  and  whatever  pains  he  has  taken  in  religion,  until 
by  the  first  act  of  saving  faith  he  is  united  to  Jesus  Christ ;  for 
nothing  short  of  this  entitles  him  to  pardon,  justification,  and 
eternal  life,  according  to  the  Gospel.     As  is  written,  John  iii. 


212  INTRODUCTION. 

18.  36.  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  and  the 
wrath,  of  God  abideth  on  him.  Indeed  Mr.  M.  says,  p.  39' 
'  that  no  man,  short  of  perfection,  can  be  properly  said  to 
have  complied  with  the  Gospel.'  But  our  Saviour  declares, 
with  great  solemnity,  John  v.  24.  Verily,  verily,  1  say  unto 
you,  he  that  hcareth  my  word,  and  belifceth  on  him  that  sent 
me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  nut  come  into  condemnation  ; 
but  is  passed  from  death  to  life.  So  that  on  the  first  act  of 
saving  faith  a  sinner  becomes  entitled  to  eternal  life.  (Gal 
iii.  26.  29.)  For  ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ.  And  if  yt  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's 
seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise.  Again,  a  man  may 
be  said  to  have  complied  with  any  supposed  graceless  cove- 
nant, when  he  has  the  graceless  qualifications  to  which  the 
blessings  of  that  covenant  are  promised,  but  not  before.  So 
that  if  a 'fixed  resolution  to  forsake  all  known  sin,  and  prac- 
tise all  known  duty,'  is  a  requisite  qualification  to  the  blessings 
of  this  covenant,  then  no  man  has  a  covenant  right  to  the 
blessings  of  it  until  he  is  '  come  to  this  fixed  resolution  ;'  i.  e. 
if  there  is  an  external  covenant,  'distinct  from  the  covenant 
of  grace,'  promising  to  the  visible  church  all  the  'external 
means  of  grace,  and  the  strivings  of  God's  holy  spirit,  in  or- 
der to  render  them  effectual  for  salvation/  by  which  the 
visible  church  is  constituted.  And  if  this  'fixed  resolution  i« 
absolutely  necessary  to  church-membership,  and  so  to  a  title  to 
these  promises,  then  no  man  has  a  title  to  these  promises,  or* 
is  qualified  to  be  admitted  a  member  of  the  visible  church, 
until  he  is,  in  fact,  '  come  to  this  fixed  resolution  :'  but  when- 
ever he  is  'come  to  this  fixed  resolution/  he  ought  to  be  con- 
sidered as  having  complied  with  the  external  covenant ;  and 
so  as  having  a  covenant  right  to  its  blessings.  Mr.  M.  says, 
(p.  (J4.)  that  I  have  '  a  very  singular  notion  about  the  nature 
of  covenanting  ;  as  if  it  required  a  present  compliance  with 
EviiitY  thing  required  by  th«  covenant  into  which  they  en- 
ter.' This  I  never  said. — But  indeed  I  do  think,  that  it  is  a 
contradiction  in  terms,  to  say  that  "a  covenant  promises  cer- 
tnin  blessings  to  those,  and  to  those  only,  who  have  certain 
qualifications ;  and  yet  some  who  have  not  the  required  quali- 
fications have  a  covenant  right  to  the  blessings  promised." 


INTRODUCTION.  213 

Nor  am  I  'singular  in  this  notion/  for  all  mankind  think  so 
too.  However,  '  that  no  man  short  of  perfection  can  be  pro- 
perly said  to  have  complied  with  the  Gospel/  is  a  very  sin- 
gular notion,  indeed ;  and  in  effect  makes  the  covenant  of 
works  and  the  covenant  of  grace  precisely  one  and  the  same 
thing.  But  to  proceed, 

6.  By  entering  into  covenant,  and  engaging  to  perform 
the  duties  which  the  covenant  requires,  a  man  binds  himself 
to  be  doing  the  duties  required  by  the  covenant,  in  the  man- 
ner in  which  he  engages  to  do  them,  as  long  as  the  covenant 
is  in  force.    To  say  otherwise,  is  to  say  that  a  man  binds  him- 
self, and  yet  does  not  bind  himself,  which  is  an  express  con- 
tradiction.    Thus  the  Israelites  at  Mount  Sinai,  and  in  the 
plains  of  Moab,  bound  themselves  and  their  posterity  to  ob- 
serve all  the  rites  of  the  ceremonial  law,  so  long  as  that 
should  be  in  force.     But  when  the  ceremonial  law  was  abro- 
gated, they  were  no  longer  bound  to  observe  its  rites.     And 
thus,  if  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  does  in  fact,  require  reli- 
gious duties  to  be  done  in  a  graceless  manner,  so  long  as  sin- 
ners remain  graceless,  and  no  longer ;  then  as  soon  as  ever 
sinners  are  converted,  they  are  free  from  the  bonds  of  this  co- 
venant, as  much  as  the  Jews  were  from  the  ceremonial  law 
at  the  resurrection  of  Christ ;  and  so  are  then  at  liberty  to 
enter  into  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  to  engage  to  live  by 
Jaith  on  the  Son  of  God,  and  to  be  holy  in  all  manner  of  con- 
versation, pressing  towards  perfection,  the  mark  for  the  prize 
of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  :  but  not  till  then— 
agreeable   to  the  apostle's  reasoning  in  Rom.  vii.  l,  2,  3. 
But  if  this  external  covenant,  which  requires  duties  to  be  done 
in  a  graceless  manner,  is  in  fact  binding  for  life;  if  it  is  in 
this  sense  an  everlasting  covenant,  as  was  the  covenant  witli 
Abraham,  (Gen.  1?.)  then  no  man  who  has  entered  into  it 
is  at  liberty,  while  he  lives,  to  cease  performing  duties  in  a 
graceless  manner.     For  the  woman  which  hath  an  husband 
is  bound  by  the  law  to  her  husband  so  long  as  he  livrth  ;  but 
if  the  husband  be  dead,  she  is  loosed  from  the  law  of  her  hus- 
band.    So  then,  if  while  her  husband  liveth  she  be  married  to 
another  man,  she  shall  be  called  an  adulteress :  but  ij  her 
husband  be  deadt  she  isfrtefram  that  lav  ;  so  that  she  is  no 


214  INTRODUCTION. 

adulteress,  though  she  be  married  to  another  man.  Mr.  M. 
may  now  take  his  choice.  He  may  say,  that  his  external 
covenant,  which  requires  duties  to  be  done  in  a  graceless 
manner,  is  binding  for  life,  or  it  is  not.  If  it  is  not  binding 
for  life,  then  it  is  self-evident  that  it  is  not  an  everlasting  co- 
venant, like  that  in  Gen.  17-  If  it  is  binding  for  life,  then  he 
who  enters  into  it  binds  himself  to  perfom  all  duties  in  a 
graceless  manner  as  long  as  he  lives.  This  difficulty  against 
his  scheme  he  has  not  removed.  Nor  has  he  ventured  to 
look  it  fairly  in  the  face.  See  p.  30,  31,  32. 

7.  By  an  unconditional  covenant  is  meant,  a  covenant 
which  promises  its  blessings  to  all  whom  it  respects,  without 
any  condition  at  all ;  so  that  no  qualification  at  all,  of  any 
kind,  is  necessary  in  order  to  a  covenant  right  to  all  its 
blessings.  Thus  God's  covenant  with  Noah  and  with  his 
seed,  and  with  every  living  creature  with  him,  even  with 
the  fowl  and  with  every  beast  of  the  earth,  that  all  fesh 
should  no  more  be  cut  off  by  the  renters  of  the  flood,  is  of  the 
nature  of  an  unconditional  grant,  conveying  the  promised  se- 
curity to  all,  without  respect  to  any  qualification  whatever. 

Question  1.  Is  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  conditional,  or 
unconditional?  If  unconditional,  then  no  qualification  what- 
ever is  requisite  in  order  to  a  covenant  right  to  all  its  bless- 
ings. Pagans,  Turks,  Jews,  Deists,  Heretics,  and  the  scan- 
dalous, have  as  good  a  right  as  such  to  partake  at  the  Lord's 

table,  as  to  hear  the  Gospel  preached, If  conditional, 

then, 

Question  2.  Doth  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  require,  as 
a  condition  of  its  blessings,  holy  exercises  of  heart,  or  unholy 
exercises  of  heart,  or  no  exercise  of  heart  at  all,  nothing  but 
external  bodily  motions,  considered  as  unconnected  with  any 
volition?  If  holy  exercises  of  heart,  then  no  graceless  man, 
as  such,  hath  a  right  to  its  blessings.  If  unholy  exercises  of 
heart,  then  it  is  a  graceless  covenant,  which  he  says  is  ' a 
graceless  phantom.'  If  no  exercise  of  heart  at  all,  nothing 
but  external,  bodily  motions  ;  then  our  hearts  have  nothing 
to  do  with  it;  and  we  need  not  concern  ourselves  about  it; 
for  it  is  not  a  thing  of  a  moral  nature  ;  and  so  has  no  concern 
in  the  business  of  religion. 


THE  NATURE  OF  MR.  M.'s  EXTERNAL  COVENANT.  fi!5 

Had  Mr.  tyl  •  first  of  all  acquired  determinate  ideas  himself, 
and  then  given  an  exact  definition  of  his  external  covenant, 
which  he  has  in  a  public  manner  been  called  upon  to  do,  it 
would  have  rendered  his  readers'  work  easy  :  but  now  it  is  so 
difficult  to  know  what  he  means,  that  even  his  most  learned 
admirers  are  not  agreed,  whether  his  external  covenant  is 
conditional  or  unconditional.  However,  let  us  hear  him  ex- 
plain himself. 


SECTION  I. 

The  nature  of  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  as  stated  and  ex- 
plained by  himself)  tinder  the  notion  of  a  conditional  cove- 
nant. 

AS  our  author  has  no  where  particularly  enumerated  the 
peculiar  privileges  and  blessings  of  his  external  covenant, 
which  those,  and  those  only,  are  entitled  to  who  are  in  it ;  nor 
particularly  stated  its  conditions;  nor  so  much  as  let  us  know 
with  certainty  whether  it  be  conditional,  or  unconditional ; 
so  there  is  no  way  but  to  look  through  both  his  books,  and 
pick  up  here  and  there  what  we  can,  in  order  to  determine 
what  he  means,  and  consider  it  in  every  point  of  light  in 
which  he  sets  it. 

And  first,  we  shall  consider  it  as  a  conditional  covenant. 
And  in  this  view  of  it  we  may  observe  the  following  things  : 

1.  In  his  first  book,  p.  58.  he  expressly  delares,  '  that  the 
external  covenant  between  God  and  the  visible  church  is  dis- 
tinct from  the  covenant  of  grace.'     And  he  speaks  of  this,  as 
what  he  had  through  his  whole  book  been  '  endeavouring  to 
establish.'     And  in   his  second  book,  (p.  60 — 64.)  he  under- 
takes to  prove  this  point  over  again  at  large  ;  that  it  is  '  of  a  dif- 
ferent tenour,'  and  made  for  'a  different  purpose,'  from  that  of 
the  covenant  of  grace.     I  mention  this,  because  some  think 
that  he  means  the  covenant  of  grace  by  his  external  covenant, 

2.  He   affirms  over  and  over, '  that  the  external  covenant 
has  no  respect  to  a  gracious  state  of  heart.'     And  it  is  a  chief 


216  THE  NATURE  OF  ME.  M.'S 

design  of  both  his  books  to  prove  this  point;  that  so  he  may 
prove  that  unregenerate,  graceless  men,  as  such,  ma  be  qua- 
lified to  enter  into  it,  and  may  have  a  covenant  right  in  the 
sight  of  God  to  all  it  blessings.  So  that,  professedly,  no 
conditions  are  required,  but  tho?e  which  are  graceless ;  no 
qualifications  are  requisite,  but  those  which  are  unholy  ;  for 
be  affirms,  that  the  unregenerate  are  e  totally  depraved/  and 
in  '  a  state  of  enmity  against  God,'  (p.  52.)  And  that  they 
do  not  perform  'any  truly  holy  obedience.'  (p.  17.)  So  that 
his  external  covenant,  if  conditional,  is  a  graceless  covenant. 
But  it  is  conditional,  for, 

tf.  He  says  in  his  first  book,  (p.  21.)  '  That  none  but  such 
as  profess  the  Christian  religion,  and  will  endeavour  to  con- 
form their  practice  to  the  rules  of  it,  ought  to  be  admitted 
into  the  church.'  And  accordingly,  (p.  42,  43,  44.)  he  in- 
sists that  the  'disorderly  and  vicious,' should  be  debarred. 
But  if  it  is  a  conditional  covenant,  and  if  it  requires  merely 
graceless  qualifications  as  the  condition  of  its  privileges,  then 
it  is  a  graceless  covenant.  For  that  covenant  which  promises 
its  blessings  to  graceless  men,  on  graceless  conditions,  is  a 
graceless  covenant. 

4.  If  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  promises  certain  bless- 
ings and  privileges  upon  some  certain  conditions;  so  as  that 
those  who  are  so  and  so  qualified  may  be  members  of  the 
visible  church,  and  no  others,  then  it  is  of  great  importance  to 
know  precisely  what  these  conditions,  what  these  qualifica- 
tions are,  as  otherwise  no  man  can  possibly  determine  whe- 
ther he  hath  them,  and  so  whether  he  may  lawfully  join 
with  the  church,  and  seal  the  covenant.  And  this  is  more 
necessary  on  Mr.  M.'s  scheme  than  on  any  other,  because 
he  holds,  which  we  do  not,  that  no  man  may  enter  into  cove- 
nant with  God  in  a  public  profession  of  religion,  and  join, 
with  the  church,  unless  he  infallibly  knows  that  he  has  the 
necessary  qualifications;  unless  he  is  ascertain  of  it  as  a  man 
called  to  give  evidence  in  a  civil  court,  is  of  a  fact  which  he 
sees,  and  to  the  truth  of  which  he  can  make  oath  before  the 
civil  magistrate,  (p.  79.)  But  if  men  must  be  thus  certain 
that  they  have  the  requisite  qualifications,  before  they  can 
with  a  good  conscience  join  with  the  church,  then  they  must, 


EXTERNAL  COVENANT. 

in  this  high  sense,  be  certain  what  qualifications  are  requisite. 
Yea,  there  are  four  things,  concerning  which  they  must  have 
the  same  degree  of  certainty  as  they  have  about  any  fact 
which  thev  see  with  their  eyes,  before  they  can  on  his  plan 
with  a  good  conscience  join  with  the  church.  1.  That  the 
bible  is  the  word  of  God,  because  this  is  the  grand  charter  of 
all  church  privileges.  2.  That  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  is 
contained  in  the  bible,  and  is  that  on  which  the  visible 
church  is  constituted.  Because  otherwise  no  man  has  any 
right  on  this  plan  to  join  with  the  church.  3.  What  quali- 
fications are  necessary  according  to  this  external  covenant  to 
fit  them  to  join  with  the  church  and  attend  sealing  ordinan- 
ces. And  then,  4.  They  must  be  as  certain  that  they  have 
these  qualifications,  as  that  ever  they  saw  the  sun. — Now  he 
thinks,  that  on  our  scheme,  many  true  saints  will  be  kept 
back  from  the  Lord's  table  ;  but  on  his  scheme,  it  is  evident 
that  no  one  graceless  man,  whose  conscience  is  awake,  and 
who  knows  any  thing  considerable  about  his  own  heart,  can 
join  with  the  church  :  because  there  never  was,  nor  will  be, 
any  such  sinner,  who  can  say  that  he  is  as  certain  of  these 
four  things,  as  he  is  of  a  fact  which  he  has  seen  with  his 
eyes,  and  of  the  truth  of  which  he  can  make  oath  before  the 
civil  magistrate  •». 

But  at  present  the  only  question  is  this,  viz.  What  are  the 
qualifications  which  are  requisite  to  full  communion  in  the 
risible  church,  according  to  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant? 
The  covenant  of  works  requires  perfection,  as  the  condition 

g  Mr.  Mather  in  his  preface,  says,  "  I  am  not  so  fond  of  my  own  judgment, 
«r  tenacious  of  my  own  practice,  but  that  I  stand  ready  to  give  them  both  up, 
•when  any  one  shall  do  the  friendly  office  of  setting  light  before  me." — He  him- 
self, therefore,  cannot  swear  to  the  truth  of  his  scheme  ;  lie  has  not  "  that  cer- 
Vain  knowledge"  of  it,  that  he  has  "  of  a  particular  fact,  about  which  he  is  called 
to  give  an  evidence  in  a  civil  court."  It  is  only  his  "  prevailing  opinion."  P.  79. 
And  if  his  external  covenant  is  a  mere  human  device,  his  practice  upon  it  is 
what  God  hath  not  required  at  his  hands.  H6  has  no  warrant  to  put  God's  seals 
to  a  covenant  devised  by  man.  And,  according  to  his  scheme,  he  ought  not  to 
act  in  this  affair  without  absolute  certainty.  To  be  consistent,  he  ought  to  act 
no  more  on  his  plan,  until  he  is  infallibly  certain  that  it  his  duty.  For,  to  use  hi» 
own  argument,  p.  79.  "  if  it  being  a  real  duty  is  that  which  gives  us  a  real  right 
to  act ;  then  it  being  a  known  duty  is  that  which  gives  us  a  known  right."  Aud 
I  may  add,  "  this  is  a  self-evident  proposition."  But  more  of  this,  In  Sec.  xi. 
VOL.  HI.  £8 


THE  NATURE  OF  MR.  M,'s 

of  its  blessings.  The  covenant  of  grace  requires  repentance 
toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  the 
conditions  of  its  blessings  :  .but  what  does  Mr.  M.'s  external 
graceless  covenant  require,  as  the  condition  of  its  blessings  ? 
What  qualifications  are  requisite  to  bring  a  man  into  this  co- 
venant, and  to  give  him  a  right  to  all  the  privileges  and 
blessings  of  it  in  the  sight  of  God  ?  If  this  question  cannot 
receive  a  satisfactory  answer  on  Mr.  M.'s  scheme,  then  his 
scheme  can  never  be  practised  upon.  He  gave  no  satisfactory 
answer  to  it  in  his  first  book,  as  was  shown  in  the  6th  sec- 
tion of  my  reply  to  it.  He  has  now  made  another  attempt  to 
answer  this  question  in  his  second  book.  Let  us  hear  his 
answer,  and  consider  it. 

He  says,  (p.  64.)  'That  perfection  is  expressly  required  in 
this  external  covenant.'  What !  as  a  condition  of  its  bles- 
sings !  as  a  necessary  qualification  to  full  communion  in  the 
visible  church  !  which  was  the  only  point  in  hand.  If  so, 
then  no  mere  man  since  the  fall  might  join  with  the  visible 
church. 

He  says,  (p.  64.)  '  This  covenant  requires  the  holy  obedi- 
ence of  a  gracious  state.'  What!  again,  I  say,  as  a  condi- 
tion of  ils  blessings  !  as  a  necessary  qualification  to  full  com- 
munion in  the  visible  church  !  the  only  point  in  hand.  If  so, 
then  no  graceless  man,  as  such,  can  be  admitted  into  the  visi- 
ble church. 

He  says,  (p.  65.)  '  This  covenant  requires  the  utmost  en- 
deavours of  the  unregenerate.'  W7hat !  still  I  repeat  it,  as  a 
condition  of  its  blessings !  as  a  necessary  qualification  to 
full  communion  in  the  visible  church !  the  only  point  in 
hand.  If  so,  then  no  unregenerate  man,  who  has  not  as  yet 
used  his  utmost  endeavours,  can,  as  such,  be  admitted  into  the 
visible  church,  which  will  keep  out  every  unregenerate  man, 
because  no  such  unregenerate  man  ever  existed. 

Again,  having  spoken  of  the  convictions,  that  the  unre- 
generate may  have,  he  says,  (p.  65.)  '  under  these  convic- 
tions he  may  come  to  a  fixed  resolution  to  forsake  all  known 
sin,  and  to  practise  all  known  duty  ;  set  himself  to  seek  an 
interest  in  Christ,  and  to  seek  needed  influences  of  divine 
grace.  And  he  may  confirm  these  resolutions  upon  his  owe 


EXTERNAL  COVENANT. 

soul,  by  a  solemn  covenant  dedication  of  himself  to  God ; 
engaging  by  divine  assistance  to  obey  the  whole  will  of  God, 
one  particular  of  which  is  to  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
And  I  will  add,  that  he  may  confirm  this  covenant  between 
God  and  his  own  soul  by  Gospel  seals.  It  cannot  be  denied 
that  the  natural  powers  of  our  souls  do  render  us  capable  of 
such  covenanting  with  God.  And  the  only  question  is, 
whether  God  has  required  this  of  sinners  ?  This  is  the  ques- 
tion in  dispute.'  Upon  which  the  following  observations 
may  be  made : 

1.  Was  this  the  covenant  in  Gen.  xvii.  ?     Was  Abraham 
'under  conviction  ?'     '  Had  he  come  to  such   unregenerate 
fixed  resolutions?'  Did  he  bind  himself  in  some  future  time 
to  believe?  No,  just  the  reverse.     Abraham  had   been  con- 
verted above  twenty  years  before  this  transaction,  (Gen.  xvii.) 
and  had  both  believed,  and  obeyed,  in  a  saving  manner, 
through  all  this  period.     So  that '  the  question  in  dispute/  is 
not,  whether  Abraham  entered  into  this   covenant  in  Gen. 
xvii.;  for  Mr.  M.  does  not  pretend  he  did.  And  therefore  the 
covenant  with  Abraham,  (Gen.  xvii.)  and   this  covenant  of 
Mr.  M.'s,  are  not  the  same,  but  very  different.     His  external 
covenant,  therefore,  is,  as  he  declares, '  distinct  from  the  co- 
venant of  grace,'  and  'of  a  different  tenour,'  and  for  'a  dif- 
ferent purpose.'     For  nothing  \vas  more  remote  from  Abra- 
ham's mind,  than  to  enter  into  covenant,  and   bind  himself 
to  a  course  of  unregenerate  duties,  in  order  to  obtain  convert- 
ing grace.     *  Of  this  there  is  no  dispute.'     So  that  '  this   is 
NOT  the  question  in  dispute/  whether  Mr.   M.'s  external 
covenant  is  the  same  with  that  covenant  into  which  Abra- 
ham personally  entered,  (Gen.  xvii.)     Where  then  in  all  the 
bible  will  Mr.  M.  find  his  external  covenant,  as  above  defin- 
ed ?     For  no  such  covenant  was  ever  exhibited  by  the  God 
of  Israel.     Besides, 

2.  It  may  be  inquired,  what  does  Mr.  M.  mean  by  'en- 
gaging to  obey  the  whole  will  of  God  ?'  For,  1.  Does  he 
mean,  that  men  who  know  they  have  no  grace  when  they 
join  with  the  church  do  covenant  and  promise  that  they  will 
from  that  time  and  forward,  as  long  as  they  live,  be  perfectly 
holy?  and  so  in  kfact  (  obey  tho  whole  will  of  God  r'  But 


.«20  THE  NATURE  OF  MR.  M/S 

this  is  to  promise  to  do  what  they  infallibly  know  they  shall 
not  do  ;  which  is  a  piece  of  scandalous  immorality  :  for  such 
promises  are  no  better  than  wilful  lies.     And  this  therefore 
cannot  be  the  thine:  he  means.     Or,  2.  does  he  mean,  that  a 
sinner  under  conviction  enters  into  covenant  with  God  that 
he  will  in  fact  repent  and  believe  the  moment  he  joins   witli 
the  church,  and  from  that  time  and  forward,  as  long  he  lives, 
persevere  in  a  life  of  faith  and  holiness,  pressing  forward   to- 
ward perfection  ?     But  this,  again,  is  not  much  better  than 
wilful  lying.     For  it  is  to  promise  that  which  he  has  no  suffi- 
cient reason  to  expect  that  he  shall  do,  as  he  has  no  heart  to 
do  it,  and  no  title  to  'the  divine  assistance,'  to  give  him  a 
heart  to  do  it.     And,  besides,  if  he  expected  to  be  converted 
so  soon,  he  might  wait  only  one  week  longer,  and  so  be  con- 
verted before  the  next  sabbath  ;  and  thus  put  an  end   to  all 
controversy   about   the  affair.     This  therefore   I  suppose  is 
what  no  awakened  sinner  ever  meant  when  he  joined  with 
the  church ;  and  what  Mr.  M.  would  not  have  them  to  mean. 
And  therefore,  3.  All  that  awakened  sinners  can  mean,,  or  that 
Mr.  M.  can  be  supposed  to  intend  that  they  should   mean, 
when  they  '  engage  to  obey  the  whole  will  of  God,'  is  no 
more  than  that  they  should 'endeavour  to  do  it;'  as  he  ex- 
pressed himself  in  the  first  book,  p.  21.  'And  1  will   allow 
that  none  but  such  as  profess  the  Christian  religion,  and   will 
endeavour  to  conform  their  practice  to  the  rules  of  it,  ought 
to  be  admitted  into  the  church.'     And  if  this  be  his  meaning, 

o* 

why  did  not  Mr.  M.  answer  the  questions  which  were  put  to 
him  in  my  former  piece?  (p.  171.)  'But  pray  how  much 
must  they  endeavour?'  &c.  &c.  And  besides,  if  all  they 
mean  is  to  bind  themselves  to  unregenerate,  unholy  graceless 
duties  and  endeavours,  then  it  will  follow,  that  these  grace- 
less duties,  according  to  Mr.  M.  are  the  '  whole  will  of  God  ;' 
for  they  engage  '  to  obey  the  whole  will  of  God  ;'  and,  on  the 
present  hypothesis,  unregenerate  duties  are  all  they  engage. 
And  therefore  these  unregenerate  duties  are  all  that  God  re- 
quires of  them.  But  will  Mr.  M.  say  this?  No,  by  no 
means.  For  he  expressly  declares,  (p.  27.)  '  nothing  short  of 
perfection  may  be  looked  upon  as  the  whole  of  what  is  re- 
quired,' What  then  does  Mr.  M.  mean?  In  his  Preface, 


EXTERNAL  COVENANT.  221 

he  says,  '  I  have  endeavoured,  both  in  this  and  in  my  former 
piece,  *  to  set  my  sentiments  in  a  plain  and  intelligible  light.* 
We  believe  he  has  '  endeavoured'  to  do  it,  but  yet  he  has  not 
done  it.  For  no  consistent  meaning  can  be  put  upon  his 
words.  But, 

3.  Perhaps  it  will  be  said,  that  Mr.  M.  has  with  great 
plainness  exactly  stated  the  requisite  qualifications  for  church- 
membership,  in  these  words,  "a  fixed  resolution  to  forsake 
all  known  sin,  and  practise  all  known  duty/'  if  we  only  un- 
derstand his  words  in  their  plain  common    literal  meaning. 
But  is  this  his  meaning  ?  or  will  he  stand  to  it  ?  For,    1.  The 
candidate  for  admission  is  to  come  to  a  fixed   resolution  to 
forsake  "  all  known  sin."   But  enmity  to  God,  impenitence, 
and  unbelief,   are  "known   sins,"  as  all  acknowledge,  but 
gross  Antinomians.     2.  And  to  practise  •"  all  known  duty." 
But  to  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel,  to  love  God  and  our 
neighbour,  to  lead  lives  of  universal   holiness,  are  "  known 
duties."     For  all  who  profess  to  believe  the  bible  to  be  the 
word  of  God,  do  in  fact  acknowledge  these  to  be  duties  inclis- 
pensibly  required  of  all  the  disciples  of  Christ;  yea,  of  all  to 
whom  the  Gospel  comes  ;  gross  Antinomians  excepted.     To 
be  sure,  our  Saviour  affirms,  that  no  man  can  be  his  disciple 
unless  he  doth  deny  himself,  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  him. 
And,  3.  The  candidate  for  admission  into  the  visible  Church, 
is  to  come  to  "  a  fixed  resolution"  to  do  all  this ;  to  a  "resolu- 
tion which  is  *  fixed/  in  opposition  to  one  that  is  unfixed; 
so  that  his  goodness  shall  not  be  like  the  morning  cloud  and 
early  dew,  which  quickly  passeth  away;  or  like  the  stony 
and  thorny  ground  hearers   in  the  parable,  (Mat.  3.)     All 
whose   religion  came  to  nothing,  because  their  resolutions 
were  not  'fixed.'     Now  will  Mr.  M.  stand  to  this,  that  none 
ought  to  be  admitted  into  the  visible  church,  but  those  who 
are  thus,  in  deed  and  in  truth, '  come  to  a  fixed  resolution  to 
forsake  all  known  sin,  and  practise  all  known  duty  ?'     And 
who  are  so  infallibly  certain  that  they  are  come  to  this  '  fix- 
ed resolution/  that  they  could  give  oath  to  it,  with  the  same  as- 
surance as  they  could  to  any  matter  of  fact  which  they  see  with 
their  eves?     Without  which  assurance,  according  to  him, 
no  one  can  with  a  good  conscience  make  a  public  profession 


THE  NATURE  OF  MR.    M.'s 

of  religion,  and  enter  into  covenant  with  God.  p.  79.  If  he 
will,  every  unregenerate  man  in  the  world  will  be  secluded, 
as  will  appear  before  we  have  done. 

Look  through  the  bible,  and  you  will  find  no  class  of  un- 
regenerate men  so  very  self-conceited,  as  to  be  habitually 
confident,  that  they  have  '  a  fixed  resolution  to  forsake  all 
known  sin,  and  practise  all  known  duty,'  but  the  Pharisees. 
They  could  say,  All  these  things  have  1  done  from  my  youth 
up :  and,  /o,  these  many  years  do  1  serve  thee,  neither  trans- 
gressed I  at  any  time  thy  commandment.  And  the  very  rea- 
son and  ground  of  their  confidence  was  their  ignorance  of 
the  true  nature  of  the  divine  law.  As  it  is  written,  for  zdth- 
out  the  law  sin  was  dead.  And  so  1  zvas  alive  zvithout  the  law 
once.  For  every(  sinner  who  knows  himself  to  be  unregene- 
rate, under  genuine  conviction,  knows  that  he  is  under  the  do- 
minion of  sin,  dead  in  sin,  having  no  heart  to  repent,  and  for- 
sake "  all  known  sin,"  and  to  turn  to  God,  and  to  the  prac- 
tice of  "  all  known  duty."  For  in  this  unregeneracy  con- 
sists, viz.  in  having  no  heart  to  turn  from  sin  to  God.  And 
even  every  sinner  who  is  only  a  little  orthodox  in  his  head, 
knows  that,  according  to  scripture,  the  resolutions  and  reli- 
gion of  unregenerate  sinners,  instead  of  being  "  fixed,"  is 
like  that  of  the  stony  and  thorny  ground  hearers ;  and  like  the 
morning  cloud  and  the  early  dtw,  which  quickly  passeth  away. 
Besides,  the  Pharisees  really  thought  that  they  were  godly 
men.  So  that  indeed  there  is  not  one  single  instance  of  a  man 
in  scripture,  who,  knowing  himself  to  be  unregenerate,  yet 
thought  himself,  as  such,  to  come  to  such  a  '  fixed  resolution  ;' 
much  less,  that  was  *  infallibly  certain'  of  it. 

But  to  be  more  particular  : 

If  none  may  be  admitted  into  the  visible  church,  but  those 
who  are  come  to  this  '  fixed  resolution,'  and  who  are  quite 
certain  that  their  resolution  is  '  fixed,'  then  what  will  Mr.  M. 
do  with  infants  ?  For,  according  to  this  rule,  if  his  own  rea- 
soning is  conclusive,  when  disputing  against  us,  all  infants 
ought  to  be  secluded.  For  we  have  no  evidence  concerning 
any  one  in  particular,  that  it  is  come  to  this  '  fixed  resolu- 
tion.' For  thus  he  reasons  against  us,  in  his  first  book, 
(p.  15.)  'JNonecan  suppose,  that  every  male  among  Abra- 


EXTERNAL  COVENANT.  £23 

ham's  seed,  in  all  succeeding  generations,  were  truly  gracious 
by  the  time  they  were  eight  clays  old.'  And  in  his  second 
book,  p.  63.  he  says,  '  nor  can  the  proof  of  it,  which  I  be- 
fore offered,  be  evaded,  without  asserting  that  Abraham  had 
sufficient  grounds  for  a  rational  judgment  of  charity,  that  all 
his  seed  would  be  in  a  gracious  state  by  the  time  they  were 
eight  days  old.'  This  he  says,  in  order  to  prove  that  saving 
grace  is  not  a  necessary  qualification  to  church-membership, 
even  in  the  adult.  And  it  equally  proves,  that  such  a  '  fixed 
resolution'  is  not  necessary.  *  For  none  can  suppose,  that 
every  male  among  Abraham's  seed  in  all  succeeding  genera- 
tions, were  come  to  this  fixed  resolution  by  the  time  they 
were  eight  da\s  old.'  But,  as  he  adds,  p.  63.  '  there  was  aa 
express  command  to  confirm  the  covenant  with  them  at  the 
age  of  eight  days ;  which  is  an  incontestible  evidence,  that 
a  gracious  state/  and  not  that  such  a  c  fixed  resolution/ 
'  was  considered  as  necessary  in  order  to  their  being  taken 
into  covenant,  and  becoming  complete  members  of  the  visi- 
ble church,' 

Again,  this  rule  of  admission  into  the  visible  church  laid 
down  by  Mr.  M.  must,  according  to  his  own  way  of  reason- 
ing, have  secluded  in  a  manner  the  whole  congregation  of 
Israel,  who  entered  into  covenant  at  Mount  Sinai :  for  they 
were  not  come  to  this  '  fixed  resolution  to  forsake  all  known 
sin.'  For  he  observes,  p.  71.  f  How  soon  did  they  cor- 
rupt themselves,  when  Moses  was  gone  up  into  the  mount/ 
and  fell  into  that  '  known  sin'  of  idolatry.  And  there- 
fore, to  use  his  own  words,  and  to  turn  his  own  reasoning 
against  himself,  p.  71«  "  It  is  beyond  the  utmost  stretch 
of  charity,  to  suppose  that  the  people  who  then  entered 
into  covenant/  were  come  to  '  a  fixed  resolution  to  for- 
sake all  known  sin.'  Indeed,  it  is  certain  they  were  not. 
And  therefore  it  is  certain,  according  to  Mr.  M.'s  way  of  rea- 
soning, that  such  a  fixed  resolution  was  *  not  respected'  in 
the  external  covenant,  as  a  necessary  qualification  :  much 
less,  an  infallible  certainty  that  they  had  it.  And  this  con- 
sequence he  seems  to  have  been  aware  of,  when  he  said, 
p.  7 1.  '  no,  it  is  plain  God  proceeded  to  take  them  into  cove- 
nant BY  MERE  SOVEREIGNTY  ;  even  as  in  his  covenant 


THE  NATURE  OF  MR.   M.'S 

with  Abraham  he  included  his  infant  seed.'  And  so  agaio, 
speaking  of  the  Israelites'  covenanting  in  the  plains  of  JVJoab, 
he  says,  p.  72,  73.  *  By  ABSOLUTE  SOVEREIGNTY,  God  ex- 
tends this  covenant,  and  this  oath,  even  to  such  whose  con- 
sent to  it  was  not  so  much  as  asked  ;  and  as  the  consent  to 
this  covenant  was  not  so  much  as  asked  of  some  that  were  ta- 
ken into  it,  it  is  abundantly  evident  that  they  were  not  taken 
into  it,  as  gracious  persons.'  And  we  may  add,  that  it  is 
equally  evident  that  they  were  not  taken  in  as  persons  *  come 
to  a  fixed  resolution  to  forsake  all  known  sin,  and  to  prac- 
tise all  known  duty.' — And  thus  we  see  Mr.  M.  if  his  reason- 
ing is  conclusive,  has  confuted  his  own  scheme,  and  has 
proved  that  his  external  covenant,  which  requires  such 
*  fixed  resolutions,'  in  order  to  enter  into  covenant  with 
God,  was  not  the  covenant  on  which  the  visible  church  was 
constituted.  And  he  has  found  out  a  new  nay  never  before 
heard  of,  of  taking  the  adult '  into  covenant,'  without  asking 
their  consent,  by  mere  '  sovereignty  ;'  even  as  infants  are  ta- 
ken in,  without  respect  to  any  qualification  in  them  whatso- 
ever. Because  it  is  said  in  Deut.  29.  Neither  with  i}ou  only 
do  I  make  this  covenant,  &c.  but  also  with  him  that  is  not 
litre.  Just  as  it  is  among  us,  when  a  minister  is  ordained,  and 
some  of  the  members  of  the  church  are  necessarily  absent  on 
the  ordination  day,  the  covenant  between  the  pastor  and  the 
church  is  made  with  the  whole  church,  the  consent  of  the 
absent  members  being  taken  for  granted.  Or  else  these 
words  have  respect  to  those  who  were  then  unborn,  even  to 
all  future  generations,  who  were  comprised  in  that  covenant, 
just  as  infants  were.  But  to  return, 

Mr.  M.  so  far  forgets  himself  as  entirely  to  give  up,  not  on- 
ly the  necessity  of  such  '  a  fixed  resolution/  but  of  any  quali- 
fication whatsoever ;  and  even  expressly  declares,  that  his 
external  covenant  is  absolute  and  unconditional,  and  that 
herein  it  differs  from  the  covenant-grace,  p.  00,  6\,  62.  But  if 
his  external  covenant  is  merely  an  absolute  and  unconditional 
grant  of  certain  privileges  and  blessings;  then  since  the  wall 
of  partition  between  Jew  and  Gentile  is  removed  by  Christ, 
it  gives  the  whole  Gentile  world  as  much  right  to  the  Lord's 
table,  as  to  the  word  preached,  without  respect  to  any  qualifi- 


EXTERNAL  COVENANT. 

cation  whatever.  For  a  Pagan,  a  Turk,  or  a  Jew,  while 
such,  have  a  right  to  hear  the  Gospel  preached,  for  the  grant 
is  unconditional.  Go  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature. 
And  if  all  the  privileges  of  the  visible  church  of  Christ  were 
made  as  common,  b1'  a  grant  equally  unconditional,  a  Pagan, 
a  Turk,  or  a  Jew,  would  have,  as  such,  as  good  a  right  to  bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  table,  as  to  hear  the  Gospel  preached. 
So  now  the  visible  church  of  Christ  becomes  invisible,  being 
absorbed  and  swallowed  up  in  the  world,  without  any  mark  of 
distinction,  according  to  Mr.  M. 

It  may  be  observed  that  our  author  says,  that  in  my  for- 
mer piece  1  have  '  wholly  misrepresented  his  sentiments,'  and 
given  his  scheme  the  *  bad  name  of  a  graceless  covenant.' 
And  if  he  all  along  meant  that  his  external  covenant  was  a 
mere  absloute,  unconditional  grant,  which  has  '  no  respect  to 
a  gracious  state  of  heart/  nor  to  any  other  qualification  what- 
ever, then  I  own  I  have  *  wholly  misrepresented  his  senti- 
ments' in  my  former  piece.  But  then  he  ought  as  frankly 
to  own,  that  he  has  in  his  former  piece  '  wholly  misrepresent- 
ed' them  also  :  arid  that  he  has  carried  on  the  same  misrepre- 
sentation in  this  second  book,  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  ex- 
ternal covenant,  not  as  a  mere  unconditional  grant,  but  as  a 
mutual  covenant  between  God  and  the  visible  church,  which 
is  to  be  entered  into  bv  us,  and  sealed  on  our  part  ;  in  order 
to  which,  some  qualifications  are  absolutely  necessary  on  our 
side,  viz.  that  we  "  come  to  a  fixed  resolution  to  forsake 
all  known  sin,  and  practise  all  known  duty."  But  I  submit  it 
to  the  judgment  of  the  judicious  candid  reader,  whether  the 
truth  of  the  case  is  not  this,  that  Mr.  M.  himself  does  not 
distinctly  know  what  his  external  covenant  is  ;  and  however 
ingenious  he  may  be,  yet  it  is  beyond  his  abilities  to  give  a 
consistent  account  of  this  creature  of  his  own  imagination. 
For  let  his  external  covenant  be  conditional,  or  uncondition- 
al, it  is  merely  a  creature  of  his  own  imagination.  For  if  it 
is  conditional,  the  conditions  of  it  are  merely  unholy,  grace- 
less duties ;  and  so  it  is  a  graceless  covenant,  which  is  a '  grace- 
less phantom/  as  was  proved  in  my  former  piece.  And  if  it 
is  unconditional,  it  wholly  destroys  the  visible  church,  as  it 
leaves  no  mark  of  distinction  between  the  church  and  the 

VOL.  in.  29 


MR.  M.'S  EXTERNAL  UNCONDITIONAL  COVENANT, 

world.  And  Philip  had  no  right  to  say,  Ifthou  believest  with 
all  thine  heart,  thou  mayest ;  for  believe,  or  not  believe,  he  had 
an  equal  right  to  baptism.  And  so  baptism  must  cease  to  be 
an  external  badge  of  a  Christian.  Let  a  Pagan  Indian,  mere- 
ly that  he  may  be  in  the  fashion,  demand  baptism  for  him- 
self and  his  children,  and  unqualified  as  he  is,  we  have  no 
right  to  refuse  him;  for  he  has  the  same  right  to  baptism  as 
to  hear  the  Gospel  preached.  But  that  the  covenant  with 
Abraham  was  really  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  Mr.  M. 
owns  is  a  conditional  covenant,  I  have  proved  in  my  former 
piece.  But  let  us  hear  Mr.  M.  speak  for  himself. 


SECTION  II. 

Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant,  represented  by  him  as  an  uncondi- 
tional covenant,  examined  in  this  view  of  it. 

OUR  author  says,  (p.  59,  60,61,62.)  'Whoever  reads 
that  covenant  with  Abraham,  recorded  Gen.  xvii.  with  atten- 
tion, must  unavoidably  see,'  N.  B.  ( That  although  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  is  set  forth  in  it ;'  for  he  says,  (page  57.)  *  the 
Covenant  of  grace   was  contained  in  every  dispensation  of 
God  to  mankind  ;  each  of  them  contained  promises  of  eternal 
salvation  to  believers.'     But  to  proceed  :    l  Yet  that  cove- 
nant, as  then  made  with  Abraham,  was  not  strictly  the  cove* 
nant  of  grace.'  I  grant,  that  beside?  pardon,  grace,  and  glory, 
temporal  good  things  were  promised  in  that  covenant.    And 
so  they  are  under  the  Gospel.  Mat  vi.  33.  But  God's  fatherly 
care  of  believers  in  the  world  is  one  of  the  blessings  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  in  the  strictest  sense.     But  this  is  not  the 
tiling.     Mr.  M.  has  respect  to  the  nature  of  the  promise, 
which  being  unconditional,  is  inconsistent  with  the  covenant 
of  grace;  and  therefore  cannot  be  reconciled  to  it,  the  bles- 
sings of  which  are  promised  only  conditionally  if  we  believe  ; 
but  the  blessings  of  this  covenant  in  Gen.  xvii.  are  promised 
unconditionally,  believe  or  not  believe.     For  thus  Mr.  M. 
says,  *  it  has  some  peculiarities  which  are  not  reconcileable 


EXAMINED  IN  THIS  VIEW  OF  IT.  S2? 

with  it/  And  this  appears  from  that '  chief  promise  contain- 
ed in  the  covenant :  And  I  will  establish  mi/  covenant  be- 
tween me  and  thee,  and  thy  seed  after  thec,  in  their  genera- 
tions, for  an  everlasting  covenant,  to  be  a  God  unto  thee  and  to 
thy  seed  after  thee.'  But,  pray,  why  is  not  this  '  chief  promise 
reconcileable'  with  the  covenant  of  grace  ?  This  is  the  reason 
Mr.  M.  gives,  because  *  this  promise  is  as  full,  as  express,  as 
absolute  and  unconditional  to  his  seed,  as  it  was  o  Ab  ahara/ 
Nay,  but  the  apostle  Paul,  when  preaching  pure  Gospel, 
said  to  the  jailor,  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou 
&halt  be  saved,  and  thy  house.  Acts  xvi.  SO.  So  that  the  pro- 
mise was  as  full,  and  express,  to  his  seed,  as  it  was  to  the  jailor 
himself/  But  Mr.  M.  will  say,  that  this  promise  to  the 
jailor  and  his  house  was  conditional;  but  the  promise  to 
Abraham  and  his  seed  was  '  absolute  and  unconditional/ 
And  this  being  so,  it  not  only  is  not  the  covenant  of  grace, 
but  it  cannot  be  '  reconciled'  with  it.  I  believe  Mr.  M.'s 
external  covenant  is  in  its  very  nature  so  inconsistent  with 
the  covenant  of  grace,  that  it  cannot  be  '  reconciled'  with  it. 
But  the  whole  Christian  world,  the  Anabaptists  excepted,  have 
till  now  thought  that  the  covenant  with  Abraham  was  the 
very  covenant  of  grace  itself.  But  it  seems,  it  is  so  inconsist- 
ent with  it,  in  Mr.  M.'s  view  of  it,  as  '  not  to  be  reconcilea- 
ble with  it,'  because  the  covenant  of  grace  promises  the  hea- 
venly Canaan  to  us  and  to  our  seed,  and  that  God  will  be  a 
God  to  us,  and  them  conditionally,  if  we  and  they  believe  ;  but 
the  covenant  in  Gen.  xvii.  promised  the  earthly  Canaan,  and 
that  God  would  be  a  God  to  Abraham  and  his  seed  '  uncon- 
ditionly/ 

But  Mr.  M.  goes  on  : 

*  This  difference  between  the  tenour  of  the  covenant  of 
grace  and  the  covenant  wilh  Abraham,  could  not  escape  the 
Dr.'s  notice;  but  being  resolved  to  make  out  his  scheme,  he 
puts  in  a  supplement  into  the  covenant,  which  ha»  not  the 
least  countenance  from  the  covenant  itself,  or  from  any  other 
place  in  the  bible,  p.  65.  God  speaks  to  the  pious  parent  in 
that  ordinance,  (baptism,)  sai/ing,  I  will  be  a  God  to  thee,  and 
tothysted, i.  e.  IF  THEY  WILL  TAKE  HEEO  TO  WALK  IN  MY 
WAYS.  This  last  conditional  clause,  is  a  mere  arbitrary  addi- 


228     MR.  M/S EXTERNAL  UNCONDITIONAL  COVENANT, 

tion  to  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  invented  only  for  the 
sake  of  making  that  reconcileable  to  the  covenant  of  grace. 
But  no  such  clause  is  ever  once  represented  as  belonging  to 
the  covenant  of  grace,  or  to  the  covenant  with  Abraham/ 
To  which  we  reply,  that, 

The  assembly  of  divines,  in  their  larger  chatcchism,  say, 
that  'the  covenant  of  grace  was  made  witli  Christ  as  the  se- 
cond Adam,  and  in  him  with  all  the  elect,  as  his  seed/  And 
yet,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  this  covenant,  it 
was  necessary,  on  Christ's  part,  that  he  should  make  his  soul 
an  offering  for  sin;  and  on  our  part,  that  we  should  become 
Christ's  seed  by  a  true  and  living  faith.  If  Christ  had  not 
died,  or  if  we  do  not  believe  in  him,  God  had  not  been  oblig- 
ed by  covenant  to  make  him  heir  of  all  things,  or  us  to  be 
joint  heirs  with  him.  So  the  covenant  of  grace  in  a  shadow, 
was  made  with  Abraham,  who  was  a  type  of  Christ,  and  with 
all  his  seed.  And  yet,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  this 
covenant,  it  was  necessary  that  Abraham  should  renounce 
idolatry,  and  separate  himself  from  an  idolatrous  world,  and 
walk  before  God,  and  be  perfect,  in  the  sense  in  which  good 
men  are  said  in  Scripture  to  be  perfect.  Gen.  vi.  4.  Job  i.  1. 
And  that  he  should  command  his  children  and  his  household  af- 
ter him  to  follow  his  example.  This  was  necessary  on  Abraham's 
part.  And  it  was  necessary  that  his  seed  should  keep  the  way 
of  the  Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment ;  that  the  Lord 
MIGHT  bring  upon  Abraham  that  which  he  had  spoken. 
Gen.  xviii.  19.  If  Abraham  on  the  divine  call  had  refused 
to  leave  Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  and  to  take  Jehovah  for  his  God  ; 
or  had  he  afterwards  returned  to  his  native  country  and  to 
his  false  gods,  and  persisted  in  idolatry,  he  would  not  have 
been  made  the  heir  of  the  holy  land,  the  type  of  the  heaven- 
ly inheritance.  If  his  seed  had  finally  refused  to  leave  Egypt, 
nnd  to  give  up  the  gods  of  Egypt,  and  to  follow  the  Lord  to 
the  holy  land,  God  would  "not  have  been  obliged  by  cove- 
nant to  give  them  the  enjoyment  of  it.  Therefore,  although 
the  covenant  with  Abraham,  (Gen.  xvii.)  was  expressed  in 
the  form  of  an  absolute  and  unconditional  promise,  to  him 
and  to  his  seed  ;  yet  it  is  manifest,  that  conditions  were  impli- 
ed, both  with  respect  to  him  and  to  them. 


EXAMINED  IN  THIS  VIEW  OF  IT. 

And  in  this  view  of  the  Abrahamic  covenant,  as  a  condi- 
tional covenant,  the  divine  conduct,  can  he  justified,  in  swear- 
ing, concerning  that  generation  whose  carcasses  fell  in  the 
wilderness,  that  they  should  never  enter  into  his  rest ;  because 
they  did  not  believe  his  word,  nor  obey  his  voice,  as  their  fa- 
ther Abraham  had  done.  So  they  could  not  enter,  because  of 
unbelief.  Whereas  had  God  been  obliged,  by  an  absolute, 
unconditional  promise,  to  bring  them  into  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, he  had  been,  what  they  were  ready  to  charge  him 
with,  really  guilty  of  a  breach  of  covenant. 

And  in  this  view  of  the  Abrahamic  covenant,  as  a  condi- 
tional covenant,  the  conduct  of  Moses  can  be  justified  in 
that  speech  of  his  to  the  two  tribes  and  half  tribe,  in  Num. 
xxxii.  6 — 15.  Wherein  he  expressly  declares,  that  if  they 
should  turn  are  ay  from  the  Lord,  as  their  fathers  had  done, 
whose  carcasses  were  fallen  in  the  wilderness,  the}7  would  be 
destroyed  themselves,  and  be  the  means  of  destroying  all  the 
congregation.  For  if  ye  turn  awayjrom  after  him,  he  mil 
yet  again  leave  them  in  the  wilderness,  and  ye  shall  destroy  all 
this  people*  Whereas,  had  God  been  obliged,  by  an  absolute, 
unconditional  promise,  to  bring  them  into  the  holy  land,  and 
put  them  in  actual  possession  of  it,  there  could  have  been  no 
more  danger  of  iheir  destruction,  than  there  is  that  the  earth 
will  be  destroyed  by  a  second  general  deluge,  notwithstand- 
God's  covenant  with  Noah.  Gen.  viii.  11,  12.  See  also 
Deut.  vii.  12. 

And  in  this  view  of  the  Abrahamic  covenant,  as  a  condi- 
tional covenant,  the  divine  conduct  can  be  justified  in  the 
present  rejection  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  who  have  been  cast 
off  1700  years,  notwithstanding  God  had  said,  /  will  establish 
my  covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and  thy  seed  after  thte,  for 
an  EVERLASTING  covenant  :  for  because  of  unbelief  they 
were  broken  off.  For  there  is  no  standing  in  God's  church 
but  by  faith.  As  it  is  written  relative  to  the  Gentile  con- 
verts, who  had  been  grafted  into  the  good  olive,  and  thou 
standest  by  faith.  Rom.  xi.  20.  For  God  might  consistently 
reject  the  seed  of  Abraham,  if  they  refused  to  walk  in  the 
steps  of  Abraham,  provided  they  were  taken  into  covenant  in 
this  view.  But  if  God  had  taken  them  without  any  proviso, 


230     MR.  M.'S  EXTERNAL  UNCONDITIONAL  COVENANT, 

and  absolutely  and  unconditionally  engaged  to  be  their  God 
in  an  everlasting  covenant,  so  far  as  I  am  able  to  discern,  he 
would  have  been  obliged  to  keep  them  for  his  covenant  peo- 
ple, notwithstanding  their  rejecting  the  Messiah  by  unbelief. 
But  as  Mr.  M.  is  so  confident  that  the  Abrahamic  cove- 
nant was  absolute  and  unconditional  to  him  and  to  all  his 
seed,  and  that  all  the  blessings  comprised  in  that  chief  pro- 
mise of  it,  /  will  be  a  God  to  thee,  and  to  thy  seed,  were 
made  sure  to  them  without  this  '  conditional  clause,'  if  they 
will  take  heed  to  walk  in  my  ways,  which  he  says,  '  is  a  mere 
arbitrary  addition  to  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  invented 
only  for  the  sake  of  making  that  reconcileable  with  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  :'  therefore  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  stop  a  few 
minutes,  and  take  a  view  of  some  of  the  consequences  which 
will  unavoidably  follow  from  his  notion  of  this  covenant,  and 
from  his  manner  of  reasoning  in  support  of  it. 

1.  If  the  covenant  with  Abraham  is  '  unconditional,'  and 
so  '  not  reconcileable'  with  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  then  the 
covenant  of  grace  was  not  '  contained'  in  it ;  unless  it  '  con- 
tained' in  it  something  not  'reconcileable'  with  itself:  i.e. 
unless  two  covenants  were  contained  in  that  one  covenant,  in 
their  own  nature  so  inconsistent  as  not  to  be  '  reconcileable' 
to  each  other.     The  Abrahamic  covenant  is  '  absolute  and 
unconditional,'  and  therefore  it  is  not  the  covenant  of  grace, 
says  Mr.  M.  And  he  may  as  well  say,  therefore  the  covenant 
of  grace  is  not  implied  in  it  at  all,  nor  in  any  sense  whatever, 
'  set  forth'  in  it.     For  nothing  is  'contained,'  or  '  set  forth'  in 
it,  which  is  neither  expressed  nor  implied.    But  the  covenant 
of  grace  is  neither  expressed,  nor  implied;  because  there  i» 
no  condition  expressed  nor  implied.     Thus  Mr.  M.  has  se- 
cluded and  wholly  shut  the  covenant  of  grace  out  of  the 
Abrahamic  covenant.     For  to  shut  out  all  conditions,  is  to 
shut  out  all  conditional  covenants.     But, 

2.  If  the  covenant  of  grate  was  not  implied  in  that  cove- 
nant with  Abraham  in  Gen.  xvii.  because  that  implied  no  con- 
dition, but  was  absolute  and  unconditional  to  him  and  to  his 
seed  ;  then  for  the  same  reason  the  covenant  of  grace  was 
not  implied  in  the  covenant  with  Abraham  in, Gen.  xii.  and 
in  Gen.  xiii.  and  in  Gen.  xv.  For  in  each  of  these,  (which 


EXAMINED  IN  THIS  VIEW  OP  IT.  2S1 

are  all)  the  places,  the  promises  are  to  Abraham  and  to  his 
seed,  and  are  delivered  in  the  form  of  absolute  and  uncondi- 
tional promises,  exactly,  precisely  after  the  same  tenour  of 
the  covenant  in  Gen.  xvii.  Pray,  reader,  stop  here,  take  your 
bible,  turn  to  the  cited  chapters,  and  see  with  your  own  eyes. 
And  when  you  have  read  these  chapters,  then, 

3.  Turn  to  the  first  promise  made  by  God  after  the  fall, 
Gen.  iii.  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  setpent's  head. 
And  see,  and  consider,  that  this  also  was  in   the  form  of  an 
'  absolute,  unconditional'  promise,  and  respected  their  poste- 
rity as  much  as  it  did  Adatn  and  Eve.     Therefore,  by  parity  of 
reason,  Mr.  M.  must  say,  that  it  was  not  the  covenant  of 
grace,  nor  '  reconcileable'  to  it.     And, 

4.  To  say,  that  any  conditions  are  implied,  if  Mr.  M.'s  way 
of  reasoning  is  just, '  is  a  mere  arbitrary  addition  to  the  cove- 
nant* with  Adam  and  with  Abraham,  '  invented  only  for  the 
sake  of  making  it  out,'  that  there  never  was  any  covenant  of 
grace  at  all,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  days  of 
Abraham.     For  no  '  conditional  clause'  is  ever  once  express- 
ly inserted  in  the  covenant  with  Adam  or  with  Abraham, 
from  the  first  revelation  of  it,  until  that  in  Gen.   xvii.     And 
therefore,  if  Mr.  M.'s  reasoning  is  just,  there  was  no  cove- 
nant of  grace  exhibited  in  all  this  period  of  two  thousand  years. 
And  therefore, 

5.  As  the  covenant  of  grace,  if  these  things  are  true,  never 
had  been  revealed,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  that 
transaction  in  Gen.  xvii. ;  and  as  that  was  not  the  covenant  of 
grace,  nor  '  reconcileable  to  it,'  so  circumcision,   which  was 
appointed  as  a  seal  of  that  covenant  in  Gen.  xvii.  and  of  no 
other,  was  not  appointed  to  be  a  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace 
in  any   sense  whatever.     For  at  that  day  no  covenant   of 
grace  had  ever  been  exhibited.     For  every  promise,   which 
had  been  made  to  Adam,  or  to  Abraham,  was  as  absolute 
and  unconditional  as  that  in  Gen.  xvii.  and  respected  their 
seed  as  much  as  themselves.     And  therefore, 

6.  Circumcision  not  being,  in  fact,  in  its  original  intention, 
a  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  the  apostle  Paul  considering 
it  as  such  in  Rom.  iv.  cannot  make  it  such.     It  is  true,  he 
calls  it  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  the.  faith,  and  goes  about 


MR,  M.'S  EXTERNAL  UNCONDITIONAL  COVENANT,. 

to  illustrate  and  confirm  his  doctrine  of« justification  by  faith, 
a  doctrine  peculiar  to  the  covenant  or'  grace,  from  God's 
dispensations  to  Abraham  ;  and  even  goes  so  far  as  to  say,  in 
so  many  words,  that  the  Gospel  was  preached  to  Abraham ; 
but  if  Mr.  M.  is  right,  in  all  this  he  was  mistaken.  The  co- 
venant with  Abraham  was  not  the  Gospel,  was  not  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  nor  indeed  '  reconcileable  to  it.'  Its  seal,  there- 
fore, was  not  the  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace :  it  was  not  a 
seal  of  the  riorhttousness  of  the  faith.  For  the  covenant  of 
grace  is  '  conditional,'  and  '  wholly  a  personal  affair;'  but  the 
covenant  with  Abraham  was 'unconditional,'  and  made  the 
'  seed  joint-heirs  with  the  parent.' — Therefore,  if  these  things 
are  so,  it  will  follow, 

7.  That  the  visible  church  originally  was  set  up  before  any 
covenant  of  grace  existed,  upon  a  covenant  'of  a   different 
tenour/  and  '  for  a  different  purpose.'     And   as  the  visible 
church  is  the  same  now,  under  the  Gospel  dispensation,  as  it 
was  under  the  Abrahamic,  it  must  be  considered   as  contain- 
ing the  same  thing  still, — a  visible  church  built  on  an  exter- 
nal, unconditional  covenant.     And, 

8.  As  the  visible  church  is  thus  founded  merely  and  only 
on  this  unconditional  covenant,  so  no  qualifications  at  all  are 
requisite  in  order  to  our  being  complete   members  of  it,  in 
good  standing,  even  in  the  sight  of  God.     Yea,  we  may  be 
taken  in  f  without  our  consent,'  even  in  adult  age.     And  to 
use  Mr.  M.'s  own  words  respecting  the  Israelites   at  Mount 
Sinai,  in  application  to  the    whole  Christian   world,  Papists 
and  Protestants,  Arians,  Pelagians,  Socinians,  Arminians,  An- 
tinomians,   Drunkards,   Adulterers  Thieves,   Liars,   &c.   &c. 
p.  71.;  '  it  is  plain,  God  has  proceeded  to  take  us  all  into  co- 
venant, by  mere  sovereignty,  even  as  in    his  covenant  with 
Abraham  he  included  his  infant  seed  ;'  no  more  respect  being 
had  to  any  qualification  whatever,  in  the  adult,  than  in  in- 
fants of  eight  days  old.     Arvd  therefore, 

9.  All  our  churches  in  New-England  are  wrong,  even  every 
one  of  them,  essentially    wrong;  and   Mr.    M.'s  among  the 
rest,  in  obliging  our  people,  even  such  as  have  been  baptised 
in  infancy,  to  make  a  profession  of  their  faith,  and   to  give 
their  consent  to  some  covenant  or  other,  requiring  either  gra- 


EXAMINED  IN  THIS  VIEW  OF   IT.  233 

cious,  or  graceless  obedience :  for  neither  the  one  nor  the 
other  is  requisite  to  full  communion  in  the  visible  church,  be- 
cause that  is  founded  on  an  unconditional  covenant,  which 
requires  no  qualifications  at  all  of  the  adult  any  more  than  of 
infants  eight  days  old.  And  therefore, 

10.  As  on  this  unconditional  covenant  no  qualifications 
whatever  are  requisite  to  a  complete  standing  in  the  visible 
church  ;  so  by  necessary  consequence,  no  crimes,  how  gross 
soever,  can  constitutionally  expose  any  one  to  excommuni- 
cation, or  to  be  debarred  from  church  privileges.  For,  if 
any  crime  whatever  could  regularly  expose  one  to  excom- 
munication, then  a  freedom  at  least,  from  that  crime,  would 
be  a  qualification  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  a  complete 
standing  in  the  visible  church  ;  which  would  suppose,  that 
the  church  was  not  founded  on  a  covenant  absolutely  uncon- 
ditional. 

If,  therefore,  we  will  come  into  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant, 
considered  as  an  unconditional  covenant,  unless  we  are  in- 
consistent with  ourselves,  we  must  give  in  to  all  these  ne- 
cessary consequences ;  and  so  excommunicate  even  excom- 
munication itself  out  of  the  Christian  world,  and  fling  open 
the  doors  of  the  church  to  all  comers,  how  heretical  and 
vicious  soever  they  be. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  if  we  consider  the  covenant  with 
Abraham,  in  Gen.  xvii.  as  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  so  im- 
plying the  conditions  of  that  covenant,  as  St.  Paul  did,  as 
was  proved  in  my  former  piece,  then  not  one  difficulty  will 
lie  in  our  way.  That  objection  relative  to  infants,  and  that 
relative  to  the  Sinai  covenant,  and  to  the  covenant  in  the 
plains  of  Moab,  were  answered  in  my  former  piece,  in  Sec. 
vii.and  nothing  new  is  offered  by  Mr.  M.  but  what  is  obviat- 
ed at  first  sight,  only  granting  a  condition  to  be  understood 
in  the  covenant,  in  Gen.  xvii.  though  not  expressed.  And  we 
must  be  obliged  to  grant  this  with  respect  to  every  exhibition 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to 
that  day,  all  which  were  delivered  in  the  form  of  absolute 
unconditional  promises  :  or  else  be  driven  to  the  'dire  necessi- 
ty of  saying,  that  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  that 
day,  no  covenant  of  grace  had  ever  been  revealed. 
VOL.  in.  SO 


234  MR.  M,'S  EXTERNAL  UNCONDITIONAL  COVENANT, 

Thus  we  liave  finished  what  is  needful,  on  Mr.  M.'s  exter- 
nal covenant,  considered  as  an  unconditional  covenant. 
Should  any  say  that  it  is  certain,  that  Mr.  M.  cannot  intend 
that  his  external  covenant  slrotild  be  an  unconditional  one, 
the  reply  is  ready,  viz.  That  it  is  certain  that  no  man  can. 
tell  by  what  he  has  published,  what  he  does  mean.  But 
granting  he  meant,  as  for  my  part  I  understood  him  to  mean 
when  1  wrote  my  answer  to  his  first  book,  that  his  external 
covenant  should  be  a  conditional  covenant  ;  then  the  condi- 
tions are  gracious  or  graceless.  If  gracious,  ihen  no  graceless 
man,  as  such,  can  be  admitted  into  the  visible  church.  If 
graceless,  then  his  external  covenant  is  a  graceless  covenant. 
This  is  its  nature,  and  by  this  name  it  ought  to  be  called,  to 
the  end  its  name  may  point  out  its  nature,  and  distinguish  it 
from  every  other  covenant. 

Indeed,  it  must  be  granted,  that  every  man  has  a  right  to 
give  a  name  to  his  own  child.  And  Mr.  M.  has  given  a 
name  to  his  covenant ;  he  has  called  it  the  external  covenant : 
but  perhaps  on  reconsideration  he  may  think  that  there  is  no 
propriety  in  giving  it  this  name.  1.  Because  his  covenant 
consists  not  in  externals  only,  but  also  in  internals,  viz.  in 
*  a  fixed  resolution'  to  forsake  all  known  sin,  and  practise 
all  known  duty  :  for  *  a  fixed  resolution'  is  an  internal  thing, 
as  much  as  saving  grace.  2.  Because  this  name  does  not  at 
all  distinguish  it  from  the  covenant  of  works,  or  covenant  of 
grace,  which  are  both  of  them  external'covenants,  as  much  as 
is  his  covenant.  But  it  is  the  design  of  different  names,  to 
distinguish  things  of  different  natures.  The  covenant  of 
works  was  an  external  covenant,  as  it  was  administered  to 
Adam,  '  peculiarly  worded  to  suit  his  circumstances.'  p.  67. 
There  was  no  internal  duty  expressly  required.  The  only  sin 
expressly  forbidden,  was  an  external  one,  viz.  Of  the  tree  of 
knozvledge  oj  good  and  evil,  tliou  slialt  not  tat.  Eating  is  an 
external  act;  and  this  was -the  only  action  expressly  men- 
tioned in  the  covenant  of  works,  as  it  was  administered  to 
Adam.  There  is  therefore  much  more  propriety  in  calling 
that  an  external  covenant,  than  there  is  in  calling  Mr:  M.'s 
covenant  by  this  name.  And  so  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  it 
is  administered  in  the  Gospel,  free  from  the  shadows,  rites, 


EXAMINED  IN  THIS  VIEW  OF  IT.  £35 

and  ceremonies  of  the  old  dispensation,  is  as  external  a  cove- 
nant as  Mr.  Mather's.  For  it  requires  that  we  not  only  be- 
lieve in  our  hearts,  but  also  confess  with  our  nwnths ;  that  we 
not  only  bcliev?,  but  also  are  baptised  and  attt..  '  the  Lord's 
supper,  doing  thin  in:rcntembrance  oj  him.  Yea,  the  Gospel 
requires  of  professors  all  external  duties  to  God  and  man; 
and  particularly,  every  external  duty  relative  to  church  or- 
der, with  much  greater  plainness  than  did  the  Old  Testament ; 
and  even  descends  so  low,  as  to  require  church  members  to 
work  with  thtir  hands.  The  name  of  an  external  covenant, 
therefore,  is  not  at  all  adapted  to  distinguish  Mr.  M.'s  cove- 
nant from  the  covenant  of  works,  or  from  the  covenant  of 
grace.  And  yet  what  he  means  is  really  and  essentially  dif- 
ferent from  both.  For  they  both  require  holiness,  and  no- 
thing else,  as  qualifications  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessings 
promised  in  both.  But  this  covenant  requires  no  holiness  at 
all  to  qualify  for  the  enjoyment  of  all  its  peculiar  blessings. 
It  requires  to  this  end  nothing  but  graceless  duties.  The 
name,  therefore,  of  a  graceless  covenant,  is  the  most  natural, 
expressive,  and  distinguishing  name  in  the  world.  Mr.  M. 
seems  to  think,  that  it  might  do  to  call  it  by  the  name  of 
'  the  externals  of  the  covenant  of  grace.'  But  I  think  this 
name  by  no  means  will  do.  For  the  faith  and  obedience  of  the 
covenant  of  grace  is  a  holy  faith  and  obedience.  In  order 
therefore  for  any  faith  and  obedience  to  be  the  externals  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  they  must  be  professedly  and  to  appear- 
ance, a  holy  faith  and  obedience.  But  the  faith  and  obedi- 
ence of  Mr.  M.'s  covenant,  requisite  to  a  title  to  all  its  bless- 
ings, are  professedly  such  as  a  graceless  man  may  have,  which 
is  professedly  a  graceless  faith  and  obedience.  For  he  affirms, 
that  all  unregenerate  sinners  are  '  totally  depraved.'  Again, 
Mr.  M.  although  in  his  former  book  he  had  said,  p.  7.  that. 
'  after  my  most  careful  inquiry,  I  must  own  myself  at  a  loss 
in  determining  what  they'  (protestant  divines  in  general) 
'  mean,  by  being  under  the  external  administration  of  the 
covenant  of  grace  :'  yet  now  in  his  second  book,  p.  61.  he  is 
even  willing,  if  this  would  give  content,  to  call  his  covenant 
by  the  name  of  the  external  administration  of  the  covenantor 
grace.'  But  this  is  a  very  improper  name :  for  when  he 


236      MR.  M.'S  EXTERNAL  UNCONDITIONAL  COVENANT. 

takes  a  man  into  the  church  and  administers  the  covenant, 
the  covenant  which  he  administers  to  the  man,  is  not  the  co- 
venant of  grace,  but  professedly  '  a  covenant  distinct  from 
the  covenant  of  grace.'  It  ought,  therefore,  by  no  means,  to 
be  called  the  txtcrnal  administration  offihe  covenant  ofgract. 
However,  it  may  with  no  small  propriety  be  called,  the  exter- 
nal administration  oj  a  graceless  covenant. 

Objection.  The  external  covenant  ought  not  to  be  called  a 
graceless  covenant,  because  it  is  designed  as  a  means  of  the 
conversion  of  sinners ;  and  tends  in  its  own  nature  to  pro- 
mote their  conversion. 

Answer.  The  external  covenant  in  its  own  nature  does  not 
tend  to  promote  the  conversion  of  sinners,  but  the  contrary ; 
for  sinners  are  never  converted  without  conviction  of  sin  :  for 
there  can  be  no  sound  conversion  without  true  repentance. 
And  there  can  be  no  true  repentance  without  true  conviction 
of  sin.  But  there  can  be  no  true  conviction  of  sin,  without  a 
knowledge  of  the  true  rule  of  duty.  And  the  law  of  God, 
which  requires  holiness,  and  nothing  but  holiness,  is  the 
only  rule  of  duty  that  God  ever  gnve  to  man  :  by  this  law 
is  the  knowledge  of  sin.  This  law  is  the  school-muster,  which 

~          •' 

God  has  appointed  to  bring  us  to  Christ.  Now  to  send  us  to 
school  to  another  school-master  than  that  which  God  has  ap- 
pointed, tends  not  to  our  conversion,  but  to  our  delusion. 
But.  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  is  another  school-master, 
than  that  which  God  has  appointed,  essentially  different  from 
it,  and  in  its  own  nature  inconsistent  with  it. 


THE  PERFECTION   OF  THE   BIT1NE  LAW.  237 


SECTION  HI. 

The  perfection  of  the  divine  law,  and  total  depravity,  inconsist- 
ent nith  the  notion  of  an  external  covenant  appointed  bif 
God  for  the  unregenerate,  as  such,  to  enter  into,  requiring 
graceless  qualifications,  and  nothing  else,  as  the  conditions  of 
its  blessings. 

A  LAW,  winch  is  a  universal  rule  of  life,  to  saints  and  to 
sinners,  extending  to  the  whole  ot  our  moral  conduct,  at  all 
times,  which  forbids  all  sin,  and  requires  us  to  be  holy  as  God 
is  holy,  is  inconsistent  with  any  law,  or  rule,  or  covenant, 
which  requires  any  sin,  in  matter  or  manner,  at  any  time,  of 
any  man,  saint,  or  sinner,  on  any  pretence  whatsoever.  If, 
therefore,  God  has  given  such  a  holy  law  as  above,  he  cannot 
be  the  author  of  such  an  unholy  covenant.  For  it  is  written, 
Jam.  iii.  1 1.  Doth  a  fountain  send  Jorth,  at  the  same  place, 
sweet  water  and  bitter1?  And  again  it  is  written,  Jam.  i.  13. 
Let  no  /nan  say,  uhen  he  is  tempted,  I  am  tempted  of  God  : 
for  God  cannot  be  temptid  zcith  evil,  neither  ttmpteth  he  any 
man.  But  lor  God  to  require  sin,  and  bind  his  creatures  by 
a  most  solemn  covenant  to  sin,  and  promise  them  peculiar 
blessings  if  they  will  sin,  in  the  manner  his  covenant  requires, 
is  tempting  to  sin  in  a  most  powerful  manner,  with  great  and 
strong  temptations.  But, 

1.  As  to  the  perfection  of  the  divine  law,  the  assembly  of 
divines  at   Westminster  say, '  That  the   law   is  perfect,  and 
bindeth  every  one  to  a  full  conformity  in  the  whole  man  unto 
the  righteousness  thereof, and  unto  entire  obedience  FOR  EVER; 
so  as  to  require  the  utmost  perfection  of  every  duty,  and  to  for- 
bid the  least  degree  of  every  sin.'     Larger  Cat.  in  answer  to 
Q-  99,  proved  by   Psalui.  xix.  7-  Jam.  ii.  10.  Mat  v.  21 — 48. 

2.  As  to  total  depravity,  they  say,  '  The  sinfulness  of  that 
estate  whereinto   man   fell,  consisteth  in  the  guilt  of  Adam's 
first  sin,  the  want  of  that  righteousness  wherein  he  was  creat- 
ed, and  the  corruption  of  Ins  nature  ;  whereby   he  is  utterly 
indisposed,  disabled,  and  made  opposite  unto  all  that  is  spiri- 
tually good  :  and  wholly  inclined  to  all  evil,  and  that  conti- 


238  THE  PERFECTION   OF  THE  DIVINE  LAW. 

nually;  which  is  commonly  called  original  sin,  and  from  which 
do  proceed  all  actual  transgressions.  Rom.  v  12 — iy.  and 
iii.  10 — 19.  Eph.  ii.  1,  2,  3.  Rom.  v.  6.  and  viii.  7,  8.  Gen. 
vi.  5.  Jam.  i.  14,  15.  Mat.  xv.  19.'  Answ.  to  Q.  25. 

As  to  the  doings  of  the  unrtger/erate,  they  say,  '  works  done 
by  unregenerate  men,  although  for  the  matter  of  them  they 
may  be  things  which  God  commands,  and  of  good  use  both  to 
themselves  and  others ;  yet,  because  they  proceeded  not  from 
a  heart  purified  by  faith,  nor  are  done  in  a  right  manner  ac- 
cording to  the  word,  nor  to  a  right  end,  the  glory  of  God, 
they  are  therefore  sinful,  and  cannot  please  God,  or  make  a 
man  meet  to  receive  grace  from  God.  And  yet  their  neglect 
of  them  is  more  sinful  and  displeasing  to  God.  1  Cor.  xiii. 
3.  Isai.  i.  12,  &c.  Cow/1  faith,  chap.  if).  To  which  agree 
the  39  articles  of  the  Church  of  England  '  Works  done  be- 
fore the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the  inspiration  of  his  spirit,  are 
not  pleasant  to  God,  &c.  Yea,  rather,  for  that  they  are  not 
done  as  God  hath  commanded  and  willed  them  to  be  done, 
we  doubt  not  but  that  they  have  the  nature  of  sin.'  Article 
13.  To  which  also  agrees  Mr.  Stoddard.  '  If  men  do  not 
act  from  gracious  motives  and  for  gracious  ends,  they  do  not 
the  thing  that  God  commands  ;  there  is  no  obedience  to  God 
in  what  they  do;  they  don't  attend  the  will  of  God.'  Nature 
of  conversion,  p  7.  Yea,  he  adds,  (p.  9.)  '  There  is  an  oppo- 
sition bttrcten  saving  grace  and  common  gract.  If  one  be  op- 
posite to  the  other,  then  they  differ  specifically.  Those  dis- 
positions that  have  contrariety  one  to  the  other,  that  are  at 
war  one  with  the  other,  and  would  destroy  one  another,  are 
not  of  the  same  kind  :  and  truly  these  are  so.  Common  gra- 
ces are  lusts,  and  do  oppose  saving  grace.'  So  again  in  his 
Safety,  (3d.  edit.)  p.  106.  '  Man  in  his  natuial  state  is  an 
enemy  to  this  the  gospel-way  of  salvation.  As  man  is  an  ene- 
my to  the  law  of  God,  so  to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.' 
And  in  p.  146.  '  All  thdSe  religious  frames  and  dispositions 
that  are  in  natural  men,  are  nothing  else  but  the  various  sha- 
pings of  self-love.'  And  again,  p.  148.  '  Self-love  is  the 
very  root  of  original  sin.'  And  again,  p.  162.  '  Every  un- 
humbled  sinner  is  striving  against  the  work  of  humiliation  : 
They  are  opposing  of  it,  either  by  endeavours  to  set  np  a 


THE  PERFECTION   OF  THE  DIVINE  LAW.  23Q 

righteousness  of  their  own ;  seeking  in  that  way  to  escape 
condemnation,  instead  of  yielding  to  God  they  are  flying  to 
their  strong  holds,  sheltering  themselves  in  their  prayers,  re- 
formations, desires,  &c.  or  else  by  wrangling,  as  a  person  pur- 
sued runs  away  till  overtaken,  and  then  he  fights  :  So  the  sin- 
ner, when  he  sees  that  he  cannot  save  himself,  is  contending 
with  God,  objecting  against  divine  proceedings,  thinks  that 
God's  dealings  are  very  hard  measure  Rom.  ix.  19.'  And 
(p.  168.)  '  Their  best  works  are  not  only  sinful,  but  properly 
sins.'  Thus  far  Mr.  Stoddard.  And  thus  we  see  what  the 
'  old  divinity'  is,  as  to  the  perfection  of  the  divine  tazo,  total 
depravity,  and  works  done  by  unregenerate  men. 

Yea,  Mr.  M.  himself,  in  words   at  least,  grants  each   of 
these  points.  For,  1.  As  to  the  perfection  of  the  divine  tare,  he 
sets  himself  to  prove,  (p.  27.)  'that  the  law   is  not  abated.' 
'And  therefore  nothing  short  of  perfection  may  be  looked 
upon  as  the  whole  of  what  is  required.'     And,  2.  As  to  total 
depravity,  he  repeatedly  asserts  it  through  sect.  2.  and  3.  and 
particularly  says,  (p.  8.)  'That  Adam  did  totally  deprave  his 
nature,  by  his  first  sin,  and  wholly  tost  the  moral  image  of  God 
in  which  he  was  created.'     And  he  says,  (p.   18.)  '  Mankind 
at  this  day,  antecedent  to  their  exercising  faith  in  Christ,  are 
in  much  the  same  condition  as  Adam  was  after  he  had    sin- 
ned.'— 'The  unregenerate  sinner  is  in  the   likeness  of  fal- 
len Adam.'     And  he  speaks  of  them,  (p.  52.)  as  *  such  whose 
hearts  are  in  a  state  of  enmity  against  God.'     And,  3.  As  to 
the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  he  says,  (p.   17.)  'As  love  to 
God  is  the  leading  principle  of  all   acceptable  obedience;  so 
Adam  having  rendered  himself  incapable  of  loving  God,  he 
was  of  course  incapable  of  yielding  any  truly    holy  and    ac- 
ceptable obedience  to  the  will  of  God.'     And,  (p.  55.)  '  Sin- 
ners under  conviction  really  aim  to  'establish  their  own  right- 
eousness which  is  of  the   law.'     Which  no  doubt  he  will 
grant  is  a  very  wicked  thing,  being  the  great  sin  of  the  un- 
believing Jews,  for  which,   among  other  things,  they  were 
finally  cast  off  by  God.     Rom.  ix.  32.     Now,  therefore, 

1.  The  question  is  not,  whether  all  the  holy  commands  of 
God's  law,  and  holy  exhortations  of  the  Gospel,  are  given 
to  the  unregenerate,  and  binding  on  them  ;  so  as  that  they 


24O  THE  PERFECTION  OF  THE  DIVINE  LAW. 

are  wholly  inexcusable,  and  altogether  criminals,  in  every 
neglect.  This  I  affirm  to  be  the  truth.  And  this  Mr.  M. 
grants. 

2.  The  question  is  not,   whether   the  unregenerate  do,  in 
any  one  instance,  perform  one  act  of  holy   obedience,  i.  e. 
of  obedience  which  has  the  least  degree  of  holiness   in   it. 
Mr.  M.  allows  they  do  not :  for  lie   asserts,  that  they  are 
'  totally  depraved/  through  sect.  2.  and  3. 

3.  The  question  is  not,  whether  the  law  is  at  all  abated,  as 
to  the  unregenerate,  so  as  to  cease  requiring  them  to  perform 
every  duty  in  a  holy  manner.     For  Mr.   M.   insists  upon   it, 
that '  the  law  is  not  abated.'  p.   2?.     Yea,   he  'asserts,  that 
whatever  God  commands  to  be  done,  he  requires   the   '  per- 
formance to  be,  not  in  a  gracious,  but  in   a  perfect  manner.' 
p.  38. 

4.  The  question  is  not,  whether  a  sinful  manner  of  attend- 
ing on  the  means,  which  God  useth  for    the  conversion   of 
sinners,  may  not  be  less  sinful  and  less  dangerous,  than  a  total 
neglect.     This  is  granted.     And,  therefore, 

5.  The  question,  and  the  only  question  is,  whether  a  sin- 
ful manner  is  not  sinful  ?     Or,  in  other  words,  whether    the 
sinful  manner  itself  is  required  ?  and  so  is,  strictly  speaking,  a 
DUTY.     In  this  we  differ.  And  accordingly  Mr.  M.  considers 
this  as  a  fundamental  error  in  my  former  piece,  p.  35.     '  That 
God  requires  holiness,  and  nothing  but  holiness.'     The  argu- 
ment then  stands  thus : 

To  require  the  unregenerate  to  perform  duties  in  a  sinful 
manner,  is  to  require  them  to  break  God's  law.  But  Mr.  M.'s 
external  covenant  requires  the  unregenerate  to  perform  du- 
ties in  a  sinful  manner :  therefore  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant 
requires  men  to  break  God's  law. 

That  covenant  which  requires  men  to  break  God's  law,  is 
not  from  God.  But  this  external  covenant  requires  men  to 
break  God's  law  :  therefore"it  is  not  from  God  r. 

)•  If  God's  law  requires  holiness,  and  nothing  but  holiness,  the  apostle's  words 
are  strictly  true.  Horn.  viii.  7.  The  totally  depraved  are  not  subject  to  the  la-Co 
of  God,  neitlier  indeed  can  be.  But  as  the  external  covenant  is  of  a  nature  op- 
posite to  the  law  of  God,  and  suited  to  the  carnal  mind,  as  it  requires  graceless, 
unholy,  sinful  duties  ;  therefore  the  totally  depraved,  as  such,  may  be  subject  to  it. 


THE  PEKFECTION  OF  THE  DIVINE  LAW.  24l 

There  are  but  three  ways  to  get  rid  of  this  argument ; 
either,  1.  To  deny  the  perfection  of  the  divine  law,  or,  2.  To 
deny  total  depravity,  or,  3.  To  be  inconsistent.  The  church  of 
Scotland,  and  the  churches  in  New-England,  in  their  public 
formulas,  not  choosing  to  take  either  of  these  ways,  were 
necessitated  to  leave  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  out  of  their. 
scheme  of  religion,  and  to  affirm  'that  sacraments  are  holy 
signs  and  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace.'  But  each  of  these 
three  ways,  to  get  rid  of  this  argument,  and  to  establish  the 
external  covenant,  Mr.  M.  has  taken.  For, 

1.  To  this  end,  (p.  35.)  he  denies  die  perfection  of  the  di- 
vine law,  viz.  'That  God  requires  holiness,  and  nothing  but 
holiness.'     And  that, 

2.  In  express  contradiction  to  himself :  for,  (p.  34.)  he  says, 
'  I  assert,  that  whatever  God  commands  to  be  done,  he  re- 
quires the  performance  of  it  to  be,  not  in  a  gracious,  but  in  a 
perfect  manner.'     Which  is  evidently  to  require  '  holiness 
and  nothing  but  holiness.'     For  a  perfect  manner  of  perform- 
ing every  duty,  perfectly  excludes  all  sin.     And   if  God   re- 
quires this  *  perfect  manner,'  he  does,  by  so  doing,  forbid  the 
contrary.     Every  imperfection,  therefore,  is  forbidden.     And 
accordingly,  he  says,  (p.  28.)  that  '  the  imperfections  found 
in  believers  are  sinful.'     Surely  then  the  total  depravity  found 
in   unbelievers  is   sinful   also  ;   and  yet  he  pleads,  (p.   33.) 
"That  if  God,  consistent  with  the  law  of  perfection,  may  re- 
quire the  imperfect  obedience  of  the  believer,  he  may  also 
require  such  doings,  endeavours,  and  strivings,  as  take  place 
in  sinners,  while  unregenerate  and  entirely  destitute  of  holi- 
ness."    Now,  I  readily  grant,  that  if  God  may  consistently 
require  the  imperfections  of  believers,  which  are  sinful  ;  he 
may  also  require  the  unregenerate  to  seek  and  strive  in  that 
sinful  manner  in  which  they  do.     For  if  he  may  consistently 
require  sin  in  the  one,  he  may  in  the  other  also.     But  Mr.  M. 
tells  me,  that  God  forbids  sin  in  both  ;  for  he  says,  '  I  assert 
that  whatever  God  commands  to  be  done,  he  requires  the 

. 

And  so  the  carnal  mind,  which  is  totally  opposite  to  God's  law,  may  be  in  confor- 
mity to  the  external  covenant ;  and  likewise  lays  a  foundation  for  love.  And 
therefore  the  carnal  mind  naturally  loves  the  external  covenant.  And  t»hat  we 
love,  we  wish  to  be  true. 

VOL.  in.  3,1 


242  THE  PERFECTION  OF  THE  DIVINE  LAW. 

performance  to  be,  not  in  a  gracious,  but  in  A  perfect  manner.' 
Which  forbids  the  imperfections  of  ihe  believer,  and  the  to- 
tal sinfulness  of  the  'totally  depraved.'  Inconsistencies  of 
this  kind,  good  as  his  natural  genius  is,  run  through  his  book, 
whenever  he  has  occasion  to  speak  on  this  subject ;  and  he 
brings  many  texts  of  Scripture  to  keep  himself  in  counte- 
nance :  as  if  it  were  possible,  that  a  book  inspired  by  God 
should  contain  such  inconsistencies.  Whereas,  could  it  be 
proved,  that  the  bible  ever  required  any  sin,  or  any  action  to 
be  done  in  a  sinful  manner,  it  would  be  such  an  argument 
that  it  did  not  come  from  him,  who  is  perfectly  and  un- 
changeably holy,  and  who  does,  and  who  cannot  but  hate 
sin,  even  all  sin,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  persons,  with  perfect 
hatred,  that  1  should  not  know  how  to  answer  it.  For  it 
looks  like  the  most  glaring  contradiction  in  nature,  that  God 
should  command,  call,  invite,  urge,  persuade,  and  beseech  us 
to  do,  what  he  perfectly  hates.  And  to  say,  that  the  true 
and  living  God  dues  not  perfectly  hate  all  sin,  at  all  times,  is, 
as  all  will  grant,  wickedly  to  reproach  the  Holy  One  of  Is- 
rael. Ps.  1.  2.1.  Thou  thoughlest  I  teas  altogether  such  an 
one  as  thyself  :  but  I  will  reprove  thee,  and  set  thy  sins  in  or- 
der before  th^e. 

The  Pharisees  took  great  pains  in  religion ;  they  fasted 
twice  in  the  week.  And  they  thought  they  performed  their 
duties  in  the  manner  in  which  Goo  required.  Ail  these 
things  have  I  done  from  my  youth  up.  Lo,  these  many  years 
do  1  serve  thee,  neither  transgressed  I  at  any  time  thy  com- 
mandment. For  if  the  law  required  them  to  do  duties  in  the 
manner  in  which  they  did,  then,  in  doing  as  they  did, 
they  did  their  duty.  So  they  were  not  sinners,  in  their 
own  view  ;  rather,  they  were  righteous,  and  needed  no  repent- 
ance. For  they  had  nothing  to  repent  of.  For  they  had 
t  forsaken  all  known  sin,  and  practised  all  known  duty.'  So 
that  their  consciences  acquitted  them.  As  touching  the 
righteousness  oj  the  law,  I  was  blameless.  It  was  impossible 
they  should  be  brought  to  repentance,  while  they  viewed 
things  in  this  light,  it  was  almost  impossible  to  beat  them 
out  of  their  scheme.  Therefore  publicans  and  harlots  stood 
a  better  chance  for  conversion  than  they  did,  as  our  Saviour 


THE  PERFECTION  OF  THE  DIVINE  LAW.  C4S 

declares,  Mat.  xxi.  31,  32'.  For  although  the  strivings  of 
an  awakened  sinner,  with  the  law  of  perfection  in  his  view, 
may  '  be  useful  to  promote  conviction  of  sin  ;'  yet  the  striv- 
ings of  a  sinner,  with  a  law  in  view  which  requires  him  to  do 
as  he  does,  instead  of  being  *  useful  to  promote  conviction  of 
sins,'  tends  to  establish  him  in  his  own  righteousness.  For 
in  doing  as  he  does,  he  does  *  all  known  duty/  and  so  is 
blameless :  and  so  is  righteous,  and  so  needs  no  repentance, 
no  atonement,  no  pardon,  no  Christ,  no  grace;  and  if  righte- 
ousness come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain.  So  this 
scheme  issues  at  last  in  infidelity. 

Our  author  says,  (p.  52.)  '  God  has  repeatedly  commanded 
sinners  to  consider  their  ways  :'  very  true,  so  he  lias.  But 
has  God  ever  once  commanded  them  to  consider  their  ways 
in  an  impenitent,  self-righteous,  self-justifying,  Christ-i eject- 
ing manner  ?  In  which  manner  sinners  always  do  consider 
their  ways,  so  long  as  they  remain  under  the  reigning  power 
of  an  impenitent,  self-righteous,  self-justifying,  Christ-rejecting 
spirit :  i.  e.  so  long  as  they  remain  unregenerate.  For  in 
this  sjririt  unrtgeneracy  consists.  But  as  soon  as  ever  sinners 
begin  to  consider  their  ways  in  a  penitent,  self-condemning, 
God-justifying,  Christ-prizing  manner,  they  really  begin  to 
comply  with  '  the  repeated  commands  to  consider  their 
ways,'  which  God  has  given  to  sinners.  And  these  sinners 
are  now  not  unregenerate,  but  regenerate.  Thus  holy  David 
did.  Psalm  cxix.  56.  1  thought  upon  my  ways,  and  turned 
my  feet  unto  thy  testimonies.  And  these  are  they,  (Mat.  xi. 
12.)  who  take  the  kingdom  of  heaven  by  force.  For  the  great 
truth  of  the  Gospels,  viewed  as  such  sinners  view  them,  will 
always  be  attended  with  answerable  effects.  Mat.  xiii.  23. 
But  he  that  received  seed  into  the  good  ground  is  he  that  hear- 
eth  the  word,  and  understandeth  it,  which  also  beartth  fruit. 
But  stony  and  thorny  ground  hearers  bring  forth  no  fruit. 

s  '  But  this  is,  I  think,  a  great  mistake,'  saith  a  late  writer,  '  they  were  not 
Pharisees  that  these  words  were  spoken  to,  but  Sadducces.'  Referring  to  Mat. 
xxi.  31.  But,  it  is  plain,  from  ver.  45.  that  the  Pharisees  thought  themselves  to 
be  the  men,  and  that  they  were  not  mistaken.  For  the  Evangelist  saith,  and 
when  the  chief  Priests  and  Pharisees  had  heard  hi  i  parables,  (hey  perceived  that 
Ae  spake  of  them.  R«a<  from  rer.  28— 45. 


244  THE  PERFECTION  OE  THE  DIVINE  LAW. 

While  the  vail  is  on  the  heart,  the  Gospel  produces  no  fruit, 
but  when  the  vail  is  taken  away,  then  divine  truths  are  seen 
in  their  GLORY,  and  then  every  answerable  affection  is  BEGOT- 
TEN. 2  Cor.  iii.  15 — 18.  But  every  unregenerate  sinner  is 
blind  to  the  holy  beauty  of  Christ's  holy  religion.  For  as 
Mr.  Stoddard  says,  '  as  man  is  an  enemy  to  the  law  of  God, 
so  to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.'  Therefore,  as  St.  Paul  saysr 
1  Cor.  ii.  14.  The  natural  man  receivethnut  the  things  of  the 
spirit  of  God :  for  they  are foolishness  unto  him  ;  ntither  CAN 
HE  KNOW  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned.  There- 
fore Christ  told  Nicodemus,  (John  iii.)  Except  a  man  be 
born  again  he  CANNOT  SEE  the  kingdom  of  God :  \.  e.  can- 
not understand  and  embrace  Christianity.  These,  then,  are 
the  men  who  take,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  by  force,  and  not 
they  whom  Mr.  M.  describes,  as  going  about  to  establish  their 
own  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,'  who,  as  he  rightly 
observes,  '  never  do  accomplish  what  they  aim  at.'  See  p. 
54,  55. 

But  is  it  not  indeed  surprising,  that  Mr.  M.  should,  (p.  52.) 
urge  those  words  of  the  apostle,  as  an  exhortation  to  impeni- 
tent, Christ-rejecting  strivings,  such  as  are  all  the  strivings  of 
impenitent  Christless  sinners,  in  2  Cor.  v.  20.  As  though  God 
did  beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  sttad,  be  ye  re- 
concilfd  to  God?  For  the  apostle's  exhortation  is,  be  ye  re- 
conciled to  God:  and  his  argument  is,  God  is  now  ready 
through  Christ  to  be  reconciled  to  you.  JSow,  supposing 
this  exhortation  was  given  to  the  un regenerate,  as  Mr.  M. 
would  have  it ;  if  they  believed  that  God  was  ready  to  be  re- 
conciled through  Christ:  i.  e.  if  they  believed  the  Gospel  to 
be  true,  why  should  they  not  return  home  to  God  immediate- 
ly as  the  prodigal  son  did  to  his  father,  as  soon  as  ever  he 
came  to  himself?  But  Mr.  M.  would  have  them,  instead  of 
returning  to  God  now,  in  compliance  with  the  apostle's  ex- 
hortation, rather  put  it  off" a  while,  and  strive  '  to  obtain 
those  discoveries  of  God  through  Christ,  by  which  they 
would  be  reconciled  to  God.'  p.  53.  Kay,  but  the  apostle  had 
just  made  all  those  '  discoveries'  to  them,  which  are  con- 
tained in  the  Gospel  on  that  subject.  And  adds,  behold  now 
in  the  accepted  time !  now  is  the  day  of  salvation  !  And  if 


THE  PERFECTION  OF  THE  DIVINE  LAW.  245 

they  had  no  prejudice  against  the  truth,  why  should  they  not 
receive  it  at  first  hearing  ?  And  if  they  believed  him,  what 
couid  hinder  their  immediate  return  to  God,  unless  they 
were  at  heart  utterly  disinclined  to  a  reconciliation  to  him, 
let  him  be  ever  so  willing  on  his  part  ?  And  if  they  were 
utterly  disinclined  to  a  reconciliation  to  God  in  their  hearts, 
none  of  their  strivings  could  be  considered  as  being  of  the 
nature  of  a  compliance  with  that  exhortation,  be  ye  recon- 
ciled to  God.  But  if  they  were  so  prejudiced  against  the 
truth  as  not  to  receive  it,  when  clearly  held  forth  before 
them  by  an  inspired  apostle,  how  could  they  be  said  to 
'  strive  to  discover'  it  ?  For  a  man  does  not  strive  to  discover 
what  he  shuts  his  eyes  against,  when  held  up  clearly  before 
him.  And  so  long  as  this  disinclination  to  God  and  the 
truth  remains  total  in  a  sinner,  it  is  of  the  nature  of  a  total 
rejection  of  the  divine  exhortation,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God. 
And  as  soon  as  the  least  degree  of  love  to  God  takes  place  in 
the  heart,  the  sinner  can  no  longer  be  considered  as  unre- 
generate,  if  the  unregenerate  are  '  totally  depraved/  as  Mr. 
M.  says  they  are5. 

But  Mr.  M.  supposes,  p.  54.  that  Acts  viii.  Q.  will  be  to 
his  purpose.  And  the  people  with  one  accord  gave  heed  unto 
those  things  which  Philip  spake,  hearing  and  seeing  the  mira- 
cles which  he  did.  True,  they  did  so,  and  what  was  the  conse- 
quence ?  Our  blessed  Saviour,  who  knows  all  things,  tells  us, 
viz.  that  every  one  who  with  a  good  and  honest  heart 
heard  the  word,  did  understand  it,  and  bring  forth  fruit, 
while  stony  and  thorny  ground  hearers  fell  away.  Luke  viii. 
Now  the  question  is  this,  was  it  not  the  duty  of  every  one  of 
them  to  have  a  good  and  honest  heart,  and  so  to  hear,  with 
a  good  and  honest  heart  the  first  time  ?  Yes,  says  Mr.  M. 
for  '  I  assert  that  whatever  God  commands  to  be  done,  he 
requires  the  performance  to  be  in  a  perfect  manner.'  But 
what  then  are  these  texts  to  his  purpose,  and  a  thousand 
more  such  like  ?  For  there  are  a  thousand  in  the  bible  as 
much  to  his  purpose  as  these. 
*s*tf  •  ,  ...•;,.. 

*  See  the  nature  of  spiritual  blindness  considered.     Essay  on  the  nature  and 
glory  of  the  Gospel,  Sec.  x. 


246  THE  PERFECTION  OF  THE  DIVINE  LAW. 

S.  But  the  bottom  of  the  business  with  Mr.  M.  is  this,  that 
although  in  words  he  says  that  the  unregenerate  are  '  totally 
depraved  ;'  yet  he  does  not  seem  rightly  to  understand  the 
Scripture  doctrine  of  total  depravity,  as  held  forth  in  our 
confession  of  faith  :  but  really  to  suppose,  that  unregenerate 
sinners  are  naturally  inclined,  while  unregenerate,  to  love 
God,  even  God's  true  and  real  character,  as  revealed  in  the 
Gospel ;  so  that,  as  soon  as  ever  they  '  discover'  what  that 
character  is,  they  will  love  it,  even  without  any  new  principle 
of  grace,  even  as  naturally  as  Jacob  loved  Rachel  the  first 
time  he  saw  her.     But  as  to  that  character  of  God  which  is 
revealed  in  the  law,  he  supposes  that  sinners  never  can,  and 
never  will  love  it :  because,  '  to  love  it  is  the  same  thing  as 
to  love  their  own  misery.'     But  as  to  the  character  of  God 
which  is  revealed  in  the  Gospel,  they  need  no  new  principle 
of  grace  in  order  to  love  it,  any  more  than  Jacob  needed  a 
new  principle,  in  order  to  love  Rachel,  p.  43 — 48.    And   this 
being  supposed,  awakened  sinners  may  from  natural  princi- 
ples, long  and  most  earnestly  desire  to  '  discover'  this  new 
character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  Gospel  ;  and  so 
seek  after  this  '  discovery'  with  proper,  direct  desires  after  it, 
for  itself.    And  these  desires  he  therefore   considers  as  being 
in  nature,  kind,  and  tendency,  the  same  with  what  he  calls 
the  gracious  desire  of  those  whom  he  esteems   regenerate. 
These  seekings  and  strivings  he  therefore  supposes  to  be  re- 
quired in  the  same  sense,  and  for  the  same  purpose,  as  the 
seekings  and  strivings  of  the  true  saint,  p.  33,34.  To  establish 
these  sentiments,  is  one  chief  design  of  his  book.     And  thus 
far  I  fully  agree  with  him,  that  there  is  no  difference  in  kind 
between  the  religious  exercises  of  the  unregenerate,  and  the 
religious  exercises  of  his  regenerate  man.     And  in  this  view, 
I  wonder  not  at  his  zeal  against  this  fundamental  sentiment 
of  a  specific  difference,  as  clearly  held  forth  in  president  Ed- 
wards'  treatise   concerning   religious   affections,    p.    36,   37, 
38,   39,  40.     For   his   regenerate   man  has  professedly  no 
new  principle   of  grace.     And    accordingly    he    appears   in 
fact  to   have    no   more  grace   than    his   unregenerate    man 
has.     For  he  is  as  great  an  enemy  to  God's  law,  and  to  the 
holy  nature  of  God,  therein  exhibited,  as  the  unregenerate. 


THE  PERFECTION  OF  THE   DIVINE  LAW.  247 

p.  41,  42,  43.  And  the  God  he  loves  is  professedly  of  a  dif- 
ferent character,  even  of  a  character  so  different,  that  the 
unregenerate  will  naturally  love  it,  as  soon  as  they  '  disco- 
ver' it,  and  its  favourable  aspect  towards  them,  without 
any  ntco  principle  of  grace,  p.  43,  44 — 48.  And  this  is 
the  true  reason,  '  ninety-nine  in  a  hundred'  of  his  regene- 
rate men  are  so  at  a  loss  about  their  good  estate,  that  they 
cannot  see  their  way  clear  to  make  a  profession  of  godli- 
ness, p.  7y,  80.  Which  renders  his  external  covenant  as 
necessary  for  them  as  for  the  unregenerate ;  for  if  the  door 
is  not  opened  wide  enough  to  take  in  the  unregenerate,  as 
such,  his  regenerate  man  cannot  with  a  good  conscience 
come  into  the  visible  church.  For,  as  Mr.  Stoddard,  in  or- 
der to  prove  the  doctrine  of  the  specific  difference  between 
common  and  saving  grace,  rightly  observes,  in  his  Nature  oj 
saving  conversion,  (p.  8.)  '  If  the  difference  between  saving 
grace  and  common,  lay  in  the  degree,  no  man  could  judge 
that  his  gract  is  saving.'  And  thus  he  goes  on  to  reason ; 
'  men  may  know  that  they  have  saving  grace,  1  John  iii.  14. 
2.  Cor.  vii.  10.  But  if  the  difference  lay  in  the  degree,  how- 
should  man  go  about  to  determine  that  their  grace  was  saving  ? 
The  man  may  know  that  he  has  a  greater  degree  of  confi- 
dence, sorrow,  and  zeal,  than  formerly  he  had  ;  he  may  have 
reason  to  think  that  he  goeth  beyond  some  other  professors 
in  these  things ;  but  upon  what  foundation  can  he  determine 
that  he  hath  them  in  such  a  degree  as  to  secure  his  salvation? 
Where  has  God  revealed  what  degree  is  saving,  and  what  is 
not  saving?  What  warrant  has  any  man  to  judge  himself 
in  a  safe  condition,  if  there  be  several  degrees  of  grace  that 
are  not  saving  ?  What  rule  can  any  minister  lay  down  to 
guide  men  in  this  matter  ?  Men  must  needs  be  left  in  a 
perpetual  uncertainty,  and  remain  in  the  dark  about  their  eter- 
nal state.'  Thus  far  Mr.  Stoddard.  But  of  these  things  more 
hereafter,  when  we  come  to  consider  the  new  scheme  of  reli- 
gion which  Mr.  M.  has  advanced,  in  order  to  support  his  ex- 
ternal covenant. 


248 


A.  VIEW  OF  THE  EXHORTATIONS 


SECTION  IV. 

Isai.  xlv.  19.  /  said  not  unto  the  seed  of  Jacob,  seek  ye  me. 
in  vain. 

Mat.  vii.  7.  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you  :  Seek,  and  ye 
shall  find. 

A  view  of  the  exhortations,  and  promises  of  the  Gospel :  and 
the  true  reason  pointed  out  why  the  doing*  of  the  unregene- 
rate  do  not  entitle  to  tht  blessings  promised. 

OUR  author,  (p.  34.)  says,  '  If  it  should  be  asked,  whether 
there  are  any  promises  of  salvation  to  these  endeavours  of  the 
unregenerate ;  I  readily  answer,  there  are  none.  The  abso- 
lute authority  of  God  is  not  such  a  limited  thing,  that  he  can 
lay  no  commands  upon  his  creatures,  without  adding  a  pro- 
mise to  the  performance  :  divine  soveieignty  is  not  incumber- 
ed  with  such  a  tether.'  These  words  have  led  me  to  take  a 
view  of  the  divine  exhortations  and  promises  through  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  a  few  of  which  may  be  transcribed. 


EXHORTATIONS  TO  SINNERS. 

Lev.  vi.  2 — 6.  If  a  soul  sin,  he  shall 
restore,  he  shall  bring  his  trespass-offer- 
ing unto  the  Lord  ;  the  Priest  shall  make 
an  atonement  for  him,  &c. 

Lev  xxvi.  40,  41.  If  they  shall  con- 
fess their  iniquity  ;  if  then  their  uncir- 
cumcised  hearts  be  humbled,  and  they 
then  accept  the  punishment  of  their  in- 
iquity : 

I  Kings  viii.  47,  48.  If  they  shall  be- 
think themselves,  and  repent,  and  make 
supplication  unto  thee  ;  and  so  return 
unto  thee  with  all  their  heart ;  and  pray 
unto  thee  toward  the  house  which  I 
have  built  for  thy  name  ; 


Prov.  i.  23. 
proof: 


Turn  you  at  my  re- 


Prov.  ii.  3,  4.  If  thou  criest  after 
knowledge  and  liftest  up  thy  voice  for 
understanding :  if  thou  seekest  her  as 
silver,  and  searches!  for  her  as  for  hid 
treasures : 


PROMISES     ANNEXED. 

Lev.  vi.  7.     And  it  shall  be  forgiven 
him. 


Lev.  xxvi.  42.  Then  I  will  remem- 
ber my  covenant  with  Jacob,  and  also 
my  covenant  with  Isaac,  and  also  my 
covenant  with  Abraham  will  I  remem- 
ber ;  and  I  will  remember  the  land. 

1  Kings  viii.  49.  Then  hear  thou 
their  prayer  in  heaven  thy  dwelling 
place  ;  and  forgive  thy  people,  &c. 


Prov.  i.  23.  Behold,  I  will  pour  out 
my  Spirit  unto  you. 

Prov.  ii.  5.  Then  shall  thou  under- 
stand the  fear  of  the  Lord  ;  and  find 
the  knowledge  of  God. 


AND  PROMISES  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


EXHORTATIONS    TO    SINNERS. 

ProY.  xxviii.  18.  Whoso  confesseth 
and  forsaketh  them,  i.  e.  his  sins, 

Isai.  tv.  6.  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while 
he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him 
while  he  is  near. 

Ver.  7.  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his 
way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his 
thoughts,  and  let  him  return  unto  the 
Lord, 

Mat  vu.  7.    Ask— 

Seek — 

— —     Knock — 


Mat  vu.  8.  For  every  one  that  asketh, 

•     and  he  that  seeketh, 
— —    and  to  him  that  knocketh, 

Luke  \\iii.   14.     He   that  humbleth 
himself, 

Mark  xvi.  16.    He  that  believeth  and 
is  baptised, 


ed, 


Acts  iii.  9.     Repent  and  be  convert- 


PROMISES  ANNEXED. 

Prov.  xxviii.  13.     Shall  find  mercy. 

Isai.  xlv.  19.     I  said  not  to  the  house 
of  Jacob,  seek  ye  me  in  vain. 


Isai.  Iv.  7.  And  he  will  have  mercy 
on  him,  and  to  our  God,  and  he  will 
abundantly  pardon. 


Mat.  vii.  7.  And  it  shall  be  given  you. 

And  ye  shall  find. 

— — —     And  it  shall  be  opened 
unto  you. 

Mat.  vii.  8.     Receiveth. 

funk-til. 

it  shall  be  opened. 

Luke  xviii.  14.     Shall  be  exalted. 

Mark  xvi.  16.     Shall  be  saved. 


Acts  iii.  19. 
blotted  out 


That  your  sins  may  be 


These  texts  are  a  true  specimen  of  the  whole  tenour  of  the 
sacred  writings  on  this  subject ;  and  let  the  candid  reader 
stop,  and  look  over  them  two  or  three  times,  and  consider  and 
think  for  himself;  and  these  and  such  like  remarks  will  rise 
in  his  mind  of  themselves  ;  or  at  the  least,  the  truth  of  them 
will  appear  plain  as  soon  as  mentioned. 

1.  There  are  directions  given  to  sinners,  in  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures, in  and  by  which,  a  full  answer  is  given  to  that  ques- 
tion, ichat  shall  wt  do  to  be  saved  ?  and  beyond  dispute,  it  is 
their  duty  and  interest  to  follow  God's  directions,  immediately 
and  without  the  least  delay  '. 

t  Q.  If  a  full  answer  is  given  to  that  question  by  God  himself,  why  do  awak- 
ened sinners  continue  to  repeat  it  ?  Why  do  they  still  say,  what  shall  -ate  do  to  be 
saved  ?  If  God  has  answered  the  question,  why  are  they  at  a  loss  ? 

A.  God's  answer  does  not  suit  their  hearts,  and  so  they  are  deaf  to  it.  God 
speaks,  and  speaks  plain  enough,  but  they  do  not  hear.  God  cries,  Hear,  and 
VOL.  III.  32 


250  A  VIEW  OF  THE  EXHORTATIONS 

2.  There  are  promises  made  to  sinners,  without  exception, 
entitling  them  to  all  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  upon  their 
complying  with  God's  directions. 

3.  These  promises  are  not  of  the  nature  of  general  encou- 
ragements, rendering  it   hopeful,   yet   leaving   it   uncertain, 
whether  sinners  should  obtain,  if  they  comply  with  the  direc- 
tions given  them  by  God  :  but  they  are  as  plain,  full,  and  ex- 
press promises,  as  anv  in  the  bible,  and  do  establish  a  certain 
and  universal  connexion — thus,  Whoso  confesseth  and  forsa- 
keth  his  sins,  shall  have  mercy.     This  promise  extends  univer- 
sally to  all  who  confess  and  forsake  their  sins ;  and  establishes 
a  certain  connexion,  they  shall  have  mercy.     But  that  there 
never  was  one  who  failed,  and  never  will  be  one  who  will 
fail,  who  complies  with  God's  directions,  is  evident  from  the 
testimony  of  him  who  came  from  the  Father's   bosom,   and 
knew  the  mind  of  God,  and  came  into  this  world  to  reveal  it 
unte  us.     For  he  says,  not  only  ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you  ; 
but  he  adds,  for  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth.    -From  which 
we  have  as  full  evidence,  as  we  have  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of 
God,  that  there  never  was,  and  never  will  be,  one  single  in- 
stance among  mankind,  who,  according  to  this  direction,  ever 
did  ask,  or  ever  will  ask,  for  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,   and 
fail  of  receiving.     For  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth.     So 
again,  hear  and  your  soul  shall  live  ;  look  unto  me,  and  be  ye 
saved,  all  i;e  ends  of  the  earth  ;  whosoevtr  will,  let  him  come ; 
him  that  cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out,  &c.  &c. 
&.c.  all  prove  the  same  point.     Besides  all  this,  and  that  which 
confirms  the  point  still  further,  is,  that  destruction  is  threaten- 
ed only  to  those  who  refuse  to  hearken  to  God's   directions. 

yorir  smil  shall  live.  They  have  ears,  but  they  are  uncircumcised,  Pagan  ears  ; 
and  so  in  hearing,  they  hear  not,  neither  do  they  understand.  For  every  good 
and  honest  heart  hears  the  word,  understands  it,  and  brings  forth  fruit.  Their 
deafness  and  blindness  is  wholly  of  a  criminal  nature.  Thus  when  the  famine 
came,  the  prodigal  son  cried,  Whaf  shall  I  do  ?  The  right  answer  was  plain  and 
easy  to  a  good  and  honest  heart.  But  he  hated  to  go  home.  For  as  yet  his 
heart  was  oj>po8ite  to  it.  Therefore  he  said,  '  I  will  go  and  join  myself  to  a 
citizen  of  that  country,  and  feed  his  swine.'  Bitt  -when  he  came  to  himself,  he  in- 
stantly felt  it  through  and  through  his  heart,  that  it  was  his  present  duty  and  in- 
terest, immediately,  to  arise  i</nd  sr o  to  his  father.  And  nothing;  bnt  the  vicious 
state  of  his  heart  prevented  him  knowing  this  before. 


AND  PKOM1SES  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  251 

Prov.  i.  24,  25.  "  Because  I  have  called  and  ye  refused,  I 
have  stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded  ;  but  ye 
have  set  at  nought  all  my  counsel,  and  would  none  of  my  re- 
proof, i  also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity."  But  on  the  other 
hand,  (ver  23.)  "  Turn  at  my  reproof,  and  I  will  pour  out 
jny  spirit  unto  you." — And, 

4.  These  promises  do  establish  a  certain  connexion  be- 
tween the  first  act  of  compliance  with  these  directions,  and 
the  blessings  of  the  Gospel.  Indeed,  where  one  act  of 
compliance  takes  place,  sinners  will  continue  in  a  course 
of  compliance.  As  for  example:  When  the  prodigal  son 
returned  home  to  his  father,  he  was  upon  the  first  act, 
upon  his  first  return,  received  as  a  child,  and  entitled  to  all 
the  privileges  of  such.  But  then  it  is  equally  true,  he  never 
left  his  father's  house  and  turned  prodigal  again,  as  he  had 
done  before  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  he  brought  forth  fruit  meet 
for  repentance.  And  as  he  was  thus  received  on  his  first 
return,  so  it  is  in  all  instances.  For  whoso  confessethandfor- 
sakelh  his  sins,  shall  have  mercy.  And  again,  Ask,  and  it  shall 
be  givm  you  ;  for  every  one  that  asktth  recttveth.  If  the  first 
act  of  compliance  with  these  directions  should  not  entitle  to 
the  blessings  promised,  bv  parity  of  reason,  the  second  act  of 
compliance  might  not  entitle.  And  so  it  might  come  to  pass 
that  some  who  comply  with  God's  directions,  might  fail  of 
the  blessings  promised,  contrary  to  the  plain  tenour  of  all  the 
promises.  See  John  iv.  14.  and  v.  24.  Mat.  x.  42.  Acts  ii. 
38.  and  xvi.  31.  Eph.  i.  13,  14.  Phil.  i.  6. 

5.  These  promises  make  it  certain,  that  among  all  the  un- 
pardoned  sinners  in  the  world,  whatever  pains  they  have  any 
of  them  taken  in  religion,  yet  there  is  not  one,  who  ever,  in 
any  one  single  act,  did  comply  with  God's  directions.  For 
had  they  complied,  they  would  have  been  pardoned.  For 
God  himself  has  said  it  Let  the  nickf,d forsake  his  way,  and 
the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts,  and  turn  to  the  Lord,  and 
he  rcifl  have  mercy  on  him  ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  tri/l  abun- 
dantly pardon.  And  our  blessed  Saviour,  in  his  sermon  on 
the  Mount,  directs  us  to  pray  for  pardon.  II  hen  i/e  pray, 
say — Forgive  us  our  debts.  And  then  soon  dec  la  es,  Auk  and 
it  shall  be  given  you.  And  then,  to  put  his  moaning  for  ever 


252  A  VIEW  OF  THE  EXHORTATIONS 

beyond  dispute,  he  adds,  For  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth. 
He,  therefore,  whose  sins  are  not  pardoned,  never  yet  in  the 
whole  course  of  his  life,  did  so  much   as  once  confess  and 
forsake  them,  and   ask  God  to   forgive  him,  according  to 
divine  direction :  no,  not  once.     To  disbelieve  this  point,  is, 
in  effect,  to  disbelieve  the  whole  of  divine  revelation.     For 
he  that  believeth  not  this,  hath  made  God  a  liar. 
Now  if  these  things  are  true,  we  may  hence  learn, 
1.  That  Mr.  Sandeman's  scheme,  relative  to  directions  to 
be  given  to  sinners,  is  not  agreeable  to  the   word  of  God. 
For  he  says, '  Let  all  the  prophets  and  apostles  be  consulted 
upon  the  question,  what  is  required  of  us  in  order  to  accept- 
ance with  God  ?  we  shall  find  their  unanimous  reply  to  be 
every  thing,  or  nothing.'     For,  according  to  Mr.  Sandeman, 
the  sinner  is  pardoned  before  repentance,  and  faith  is  not  an 
act,  but  a  mere  passive  thing.    So  therefore, '  nothing'  is  to  be 
done  by  the  sinner,  in  order   to   pardon  and  justification. 
For  no  volition,  act,  or  exercise  of  mind  whatever,  is  needful 
in  order  to  it.     And  so  no  direction  at  all  is  to  be  given. 
For  Mr.  Sandeman,  speaking  of  the  atonement,  says,  '  All 
its  true  friends  will  join  in  affirming,  that  Christ  came  to  ren- 
der impenitent  sinners  accepted  unto  everlastimg  life,  by  the 
works  which  he  himself  wrought,  and  thus  by  the  discovery 
of  preventing  goodness,  to  lead  them  to   repentance.'    Thus 
they  are  regenerated  by  light,  according  to  Mr.    Sandeman. 
But  from  what  has  been  said,  nothing  can  be  plainer,  than 
that  both  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New,  do  give  directions 
to  sinners  to  do  something.     Thus,   when  those  who  were 
pricked  at  the  heart  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  asked  Peter,  and 
the   rest   of  the  apostles,  saying,  Mtn   and  brethren,  what 
shall  zee  do  ?  Peter  did  not  say, '  be  perfect ;'  nor  did   he  say, 
*  do  nothing  :'  but  he  said,  Repent  and  be  baptised  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  for  the  remission  of  sins.     So  again,  a  few 
days  after,  Repent  and  be  converted,  that  your   sins  may  be 
blotted  out.     And  when  the  tremblingjailor  put  the  question 
to  the  apostle  Paul,  What  shall  1  do  to  be  saved  ?  his  answer 
was,  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved. 
To  say,  therefore,  that  there  is  <  nothing'  to  be  done  in  order 


AND  VROMISES  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  253 

to  salvation,  and  so  no  directions  to  be  given  to  sinners,  is  di- 
rectly contrary  to  the  holy  Scriptures. 

Mr.  Sandeman's  scheme,  in  a  tew  words,  is  this  :  that  we 
are  to  give  instruction  to  the  unregenerate,  but  no  exhortation, 
at  all.     We  are  to  hold  up   the  truth  to  their  view,  with 
its  evidence,  that  it  may  strike  their  minds,  give  them  hope, 
and  beget  love.     For  regeneration  is  wrought  by  light,  and  is 
the  effect  and  fruit  of  faith.     But  no  call,  no  invitation,  no 
direction,  no  exhortation  is  to  be  given  ;  because  no  volition 
is  to  take  place  before  justification.     For  the  single  belief  of 
the  simple  truth,  in  which  simple  belief  no  volition  is  im- 
plied, is  the  only  thing  implied  in  that  faith  by  which  we  are 
justified.     But  no  means  can  be  proper  to  be  used  for  the 
production  of  this  faith,  but  merely  holding  up  the  simple 
truth,  with  its  evidence,  to  view.     This  therefore  is  the  whole 
the  preacher  has  to  do.     Arid  the  truth,  as  soon  as  known, 
gives  hope,  and  so  begets  love  to  itself.     Just  as  the  news  of 
a  large  importation  or  corn  in  an  island  perishing  with  fa- 
mine, as  it  spreads  through   the  island,  gains  credit,  gives 
hope  of  relief,  and  begets  love  to  that  which  is  to  relieve 
them.     And  all  godliness  consists  in  love  to  that  which  re- 
lieves us. — This  is  Mr.  Sandeman's  scheme. — N.  B.  1.  He 
has  the  same  notion  of  total  depravity  and  regeneration,  with 
Mr.  M.  viz.  that  the  carnal  heart  is  at  enmity  only  against 
that  character  of  God,  which  is  exhibited  in  the  law  :  but  as 
to  that  character  which  is  revealed  in  the  Gospel,  the  carnal 
unregenerate  heart  is  disposed  to  love  it,  as  soon  as  known. 
Just  as  the  news  of  the  importation  of  corn,  in  such  a  famish- 
ed island,  will  be  agreeable  to  every  inhabitant  who  hears  it, 
and  understands  it.    2.  In  both  Mr.  Sundeman's  and   Mr. 
Mather's  scheme,  we  need  no  new  principle  of  grace  in  order 
to  love  God,  any  more  than  the  famished  inhabitants  of  the 
island  needed  new  stomachs,  in  order  to  love  bread.     And 
therefore,  3.  The  regenerating,  sanctifying  influences  of  ihe 
Holy  Spirit  en  both  schemes,  are  absolutely  needless.   For,  4. 
As  we  are  not  to  be  reconciled  to  that  character  of  God  against 
which  we  are  at  enmity,  but  only  to  a  character  which  is  so 
agreeable  to  our  hearts  in  our  natural  state,  that  it  will  beget 
love  to  itself,  as  soon  as  known,  on  which  account  we  need  no 


354  A  VIEW  OF  THE  EXHORTATIONS 

new  principle  of  grace,  in  order  to  love  it ;  so  for  the  same 
reason,  the  regenerating,  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
are  needless.  Even  as  it  was  wilh  Jacob  when  he  went  to 
Padan-aram  to  get  a  wife  ;  the  state  of  his  mind  being  such 
by  nature,  that  he  would  love  Rachel  as  soon  as  seen,  he 
therefore  needed  no  supernatural  influence  to  dispose  his 
heart  to  love  her.  5.  On  both  schemes  the  sinner  is  pardon- 
ed before  repentance.  For  he  believes  first;  then  he  is  jus- 
tified ;  and  then  he  hopes ;  and  then  he  is  regenerated  and 
loves;  and  then  he  repents.  But  to  return, 

2.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  also  see,  that  Mr. 
Mather  is  equally  mistaken,  in  insinuating,  that  sinners  may 
comply  with  the  exhortations  and  directions  of  God  to  sin- 
ners, and  yet  be  entitled  to  no  promise.  For  God  has,  as  we 
have  seen,  in  the  most  plain  and  express  manner,  annexed 
promises  to  his  exhortations  and  directions.  Our  author  says, 
'The  absolute  authority  of  God  is  not  such  a  limited  thing, 
that  he  can  lay  no  commands  upon  his  creatures,  without 
adding  a  promise  to  the  performance.'  But  the  creed  of 
even  all  the  ancient  patriarchs,  short  as  it  was,  had  this  for 
one  article,  that  God  was  a  rt warder  oj  those  who  diligently 
seek  him.  Heb.  xi.  5,  ti.  And  under  the  Jewish  dispensation, 
God  affirms,  that  he  never  said  to  the  house  of  Jacob,  seek  ye 
my  face  in  vain.  Is.  xlv.  1Q.  And  when  the  Son  of  God  ap- 
pears in  flesh,  he  speaks  plainer  still  :  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  gi- 
ven you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shaft  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened. 
And  to  fix  and  settle  us  forever  in  the  belief  of  this  point,  he 
goes  on  to  reason  thus  :  "  Or  what  man  is  there  of  \ou,  whom, 
if  his  son  ask  bread,  will  he  give  him  a  stone  ?  Or  if  he  ask  a 
fish,  will  he  give  him  a  serpent?  If  ye  then  being  evil,  know 
how  to  give  good  gifts  to  your  children,  how  much  more  shall 
your  Father  who  is  in  heaven,  give  good  things  to  them  that 
ask  him  r"  'To  them  that  ask  him,'  be  they  who  they  will, 
of  all  the  human  race.  For  the  Gospel  is,  by  divine  order, 
to  be  preached  to  every  creature.  And  whosoever  jcill,  let 
him  come ;  and  he  that  comtth  shall  in  no  wise  be  cast  out. 
The  warrant  to  come  to  the  throne  of  grace,  is  founded  in 
the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  :  for  he  has  opemd  a  way  into 
the  holiest  of  all,  by  his  own  blood.  And  the  invitations  of 


AND  PROMISES  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

the  Gospel  are  given  to  all,  without  exception.  Go  ye  into 
the  high-nays,  and  as  many  as  yejind,  bid  to  the  marriage. 
Any  sinner,  therefore,  on  this  side  hell,  has  a  good  warrant 
to  come  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to  confess  his  sins  to  God, 
and  to  ask  forgiveness  in  the  name  of  Christ.  And  no  sin- 
ner, who  hath  done  so,  in  the  manner  in  which  God  has  di- 
rected, ever  went  away  from  the  throne  of  grace  unpardoned  : 
but  it  has  always  happened  to  him,  as  it  did  to  the  prodigal 
son,  re  hen  he  was  yet  afar  off",  his  father  saw  him,  and  had 
compassion  on  him,  and  ran,  and  Jell  on  his  neck  and  kissed 
him.  Of  the  truth  of  this,  we  have  the  same  evidence  as  we 
have  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah.  For  he  hath  said,  that  every 
one  that  asketh  receiveth.  Therefore, 

3.  From  what  has  been  said  on  this  subject,  we  may  learn, 
that  these  words  of  Mr.  Stoddard,  before  quoted,  are  strictly 
true.  Speaking  of  the  unregenerate  sinner,  he  says,  '  they 
do  not  the  thing  that  God  commands  :  there  is  no  obedience 
to  God  in  w  hat  they  do  :  they  don't  attend  the  will  of  God  V 
For  if  they  did  attend  God's  directions,  and  obey  the  divine 
exhortations,  and  ask,  and  seek,  and  knock,  as  they  are  com- 
manded, they  would  obtain.  The  only  reason  their  prayers 
are  not  answered,  the  only  reason  they  ask,  and  receive  not,  is, 
because  they  ask  amiss;  i.  e.  because  they  ask  not  as  God  di- 
rects them,  but  in  a  manner  contrary  to  his  directions.  So 
again,  the  only  reason  they  seek  and  do  not  find,  is  because 

u  '  Men  in  their  natural  condition  are  guilty  of  a  world  of  sin.  Their  very  re- 
ligion is  iniquity.  Isaiah  i.  5.  They  pray  for  holiness,  but  oppose  it.  John.  T.  52. 
They  hare  not  the  love  of  God  in  them.  They  praise  God  because  of  his  excel- 
lency, hut  they  do  not  helieve  him  to  be  such  an  one  ;  it  is  a  burden  to  them  that 
they  suspect  it,  and  they  wish  he  were  not  such  an  one.  They  wish  God  did 
not  see  their  henrts,  and  had  not  power  to  avenge  himself.  There  is  nothing 
Irct  hj  pocrisy  in  !*11  they  do.  They  confess  their  sins,  and  bewail  their  iniqui- 
ties, but  they  have  no  godly  sorrow.  They  put  up  earnest  requests  for  holiness, 
but  do  riot  sincerely  desire  it.  They  strive  against  sin,  and  all  the  while  are  cherish- 
ing of  it.  They  have  pangs  of  affection,  but  no  love  They  have  some  affection 
to  saints,  but  hate  real  holiness.  They  are  zealous  against  some  sins,  but  hate 
none.  They  are  striving  for  salvation,  but  refuse  the  offers  of  it.  Sometimes 
God  tries  thfm,  by  convincing  them  of  the  great  danger  of  their  damnation,  and 
they  show  a  dreadful  wicked  rebellious  spirit,  that  they  are  scared  to  see  them- 
selves. There  is  a  great  deal  of  the  spirit  of  the  devil  in  them.'  Stoddard's 
JVotwre  efConvfrsim.  p.  96,  97,  98. 


256  A  VIEW  OF  THE  EXHORTATIONS 

they  seek  amiss  ;  i.  e.  as  Mr.  M.  expresses  it,  '  aim  at  what 
can  never  be  accomplished,  even  to  establish  their  own 
righteousness,'  and  will  not  submit  themselves  to  the  righte- 
ousness of  God.  For  he  that  covereth  his  sins  shall  not  pros- 
per ;  but  zchoso  confesseth  andforsaketh  them,  shall  have  mer- 
cy x.  And,  therefore, 

4.  The  true  reason,  and  the  only  reason,  that  the  doings 
of  the  unregenerate  do  not  entitle  them  to  the  blessings  pro- 
mised in  the  Gospel,  is,  because  in  all  they  do,  there  is  no  one 
act  of  compliance  with  God's  directions.  For  if  it  is  true, 
that  whoso  conftsseth  andforsaketh  his  sins  shall  have  mtrcy  ; 
then  it  is  equally  true,  that  he,  who  hath  not  found  mercy, 
never  did  confess  and  forsake  his  sins,  according  to  the  di- 
vine direction.  If  it  be  true,  that  evert/  one  that  asketh  re- 
ceivtth ;  then  it  is  equally  true,  that  the  unpardoned  sinner 
never  did  ask  pardon  at  the  hands  of  God,  in  the  sense  of 
the  text.  For  to  say,  that  /  have  confessed  and  forsaken  my 
sins,  I  have  asked  pardon  in  the  name  oj  Christ,  according  to 
the  divine  direction ;  yet  I  have  found  no  mercy,  God  hath,  not 

forgiven  me,  is,  if  we  may  use  the  language  of  inspiration,  to 
make  God  a  liar.     Therefore, 

To  say,  that  the  unregenerate,  in  their  endeavours,  do  the 
things  that  God  commands  them  to  do,  and  that  yet  there  is 
no  promise  to  their  doings,  is  expressly  to  contradict  the  word 
of  God.  For  he  never  said  to  the  house  of  Jacob,  seek  ye  my 

face  in  vain.     And,  therefore, 

The  question  between  Mr.  M.  and  us  is  not,  whether  God 
has  required  the  unregenerate,  to  ask,  and  seek,  and  knock,  and 

x  Great  pains  have  been  taken  to  misrepresent  and  blacken  this  point.  It 
hath  been  said,  that  we  affirm  that  the  unregenerate  are  not  required  to  seek,  or 
strive,  or  pray.  Whereas  in  truth  we  affirm,  that  the  unregenerate  are  required 
to  seek,  and  strive,  AnApray.  But  then  we  add,  that '  they  do  not  the  thing  that 
God  commands.'  The  question,  therefore,  is  not  whether  God  requires  the  un- 
regenerate to  seek,  and  strive,  and  pray  ,•  but  the  only  question  is,  whether  they 
'  do  the  thing  that  God  commands.'  This  is  the  point  in  dispute.  St.  Paul  has 
declared  for  our  side  of  the  question,  in  as  strong  terms  as  ever  we  used,  in  Rom. 
riii.  7,  8.  The  carnal  mind  is  not  subject  to  the  lav>  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be. 
And  dare  any  Christian  allow  himself  to  hate,  and  to  blacken  a  doctrine  taught 
by  an  inspired  apostle  ?  Or  is  the  doctrine  so  odious  to  any,  that  they  will  not  be- 
lieve, that  he  did  not  teach  it,  however  strongly  his  words  express  it  ? 


AND  PERFECTIONS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  457 

strive,  and  labour.  It  is  granted  that  he  has.  And  it  is  af- 
firmed, that  God  has  promised  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel 
to  a  compliance  with  these  directions,  in  God's  sense  of  them. 
But  it  is  also  proved,  from  Mr.  M.'s  own  words,  that  the  un- 
regenerate,  *  as  such,'  to  use  Mr.  Stoddard's  words,  '  do  not 
attend  the  will  of  God  ;  do  not  the  thing  that  he  commands^' 
because,  as  Mr.  M.  says,  'There  is  no  promise  of  salvation  to 
their  endeavours ;'  whereas  God  prompts  salvation  to  those 
who  comply  with  his  directions. 

Now,  therefore,  let  Mr.  M.  either  take  sides  with  the  Ar- 
uiinians,  and  say,  that  there  are  promises  to  the  doings  oj  the 
vnregenerate :  or  let  him  join  with  Mr.  Stoddard,  and  say, 
that  'they  do  not  the  thing  that  God  commands:  there  is 
no  obedience  to  God  in  what  they  , do  ;  they  do  not  attend 
the  will  of  God.'  Or  let  him  openly  and  plainly  declare, 
'  that  God  has  directed  sinners  what  to  do  that  they  may  be 
saved ;  but  it  is  not  best  that  sinners  should  be  urged  to  fol- 
low those  directions  which  God  has  given  them,  which  if 
they  do  follow,  they  surely  will  be  saved.  And  that,  there- 
fore, he  is  determined  to  direct  them  to  do,  as  they  do ;  al- 
though there  is  no  promise  to  their  doings  :  yea,  although  it 
is  certain  beforehand,  that  they  never  will  accomplish  the 
thing  they  aim  at.' 

A  minister  of  Christ  is  sent  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
Indians,  and, 

Question  1 .  Is  it  not  the  duty  of  the  Indians  to  assemble, 
and  hear  him  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  it  is  their  duty  to  assemble,  to  hear  the  Gos- 
pel preached.  If  the  God  of  nature  speaks  to  men,  men 
ought  to  hear.  But, 

Q.  2.  Is  it  not  their  duty  to  come  to  hear  with  good  and 
honest  hearts,  the  first  time  they  come  ? 

A.  Yes,  it  is  as  really  their  duty  to  come  and  hear  with 
good  and  honest  hearts  the  first  time,  as  it  is  at  any  succeed- 
ing time.  For  it  is  as  really  the  duty  of  Pagans  to  be  well 
disposed  toward  the  true  God  who  made  them,  and  ready  to 
hearken  to  his  voice,  as  it  is  the  duty  of  any  of  the  tinman 
kind.  Rom.  i.  20,  ai.  28. 

voi>.  m.  .53 


258  A  VIEW  OF  THE  EXHORTATIONS 

Q.  3  But  if  they  have  all  of  them  pagan  hearts,  shall 
they  come  and  hear  with  their  pagan  hearts,  in  a  pagan 
manner,  rather  than  not  come  and  hear  at  all  ? 

A.  If  they  come  with  pagan  hearts,  in  a  pagan  manner, 
they  sin  greatly.  If  they  refuse  to  come,  their  sin  is  greater. 
If  they  come  with  pagan  hearts,  in  a  pagan  manner,  they  aro 
in  greater  danger  of  turning  a  deaf  ear  to  the  Gospel,  to  their 
own  destruction.  But  if  they  refuse  to  come  at  all,  their  per- 
dition is  certain.  So  then  it  is  for  their  interest  to  come 
with  pagan  hearts,  in  a  pagan  manner,  rather  than  not  to 
come  at  all.  Rom.  x.  14. 

Q.  4  Is  the  missionary  authorized  by  the  commission  of 
Christ  to  baptise  these  Pagans,  as  well  as  preach  the  Gospel 
to  them  ? 

A.  The  commission  of  Christ  authorizes  him  to  preach  to 
them  while  Pagans ;  but  not  to  baptise  them  until  they  be- 
come believers.  Markxvi.  15,  Ifi. 

Q.  5.  Suppose  two  Indians,  in  other  respects  equal,  one 
has  heard  the  Gospel  twenty  years,  the  other  never  heard  of 
it,  both  die  Pagans  in  heart,  which  will  be  most  miserable 
after  death  ? 

A.  He  that  hath  heard  the  Gospel.  For  he  that  knows  his- 
master's  will,  and  does  it  not,  shall  be  beaten  with  many 
stripes.  Luke  xii.  47,  48. 

Q.  6.  If  so,  why  is  not  a  birth  and  education  in  the  hea- 
then world  to  be  preferred  ? 

A.  In  a  land  of  Gospel  light  there  is  some  hope  of  salva- 
tion from  eternal  misery  :  In  Pagan  darkness  there  is  no 
hope  at  all.  Luke  x.  10,  11,  12.  Acts  iv.  12.  Eph.  ii.  1 1,  12. 

Q.  7.  Is  there  then  greater  probability  of  the  conversion  of 
some  sinners  than  of  others  ? 

A.  According  to  the  rule  by*  which  mankind  judge  of 
likelihood,  viz.  that  like  things  have  been  wont  to  take  place 
in  like  circumstances,  it  is  more  likely  that  some  sinners  will 
be  converted  than  others.  Thus,  more  were  converted  among 
the  posterity  of  Abraham,  from  his  day  to  the  day  of  Christ, 
than  in  any  other  nation  in  the  world,  through  that  period. 
So  more  were  converted  among  those  who  attended  the 
ministry  of  John  Baptist,  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  his  apostles, 


ANB  PERFECTIONS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

than  among  those  who  never  heard  them.     So  there  is  more 
hope  of  the  conversion  of  the  children  of  godly  parents,  who 
are  in  a  pious  manner  devoted  to  God  in  baptism,  and  who 
are  brought  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord  ; 
than  there  is  of  the  conversion  of  the  children  of  ungodly  pa- 
rents, who  are  brought  to  bapti&ui  merely  to  be  in  the  fash- 
ion, and  who  are  brought  up  according  to  the  course  of  this 
world,  in  the  service  of  diverse  lusts  and  pleasures,  to  live  in. 
malice  and  envy,  hateful  and  hating  one  another.     And  so  it 
is  more  likely  that  they  will  be  converted,  who  live  under  an 
orthodox,  pious,  faithful  minister,  and  under  the  watch  and 
care  of  a  church,  whose  members  walk  with  God,  and  the 
light  of  whose  holy  examples  shines  all  around  them  ;  than 
they  who  live  under  an  unsound,  ungodly,  unfaithful  minis- 
ter, and  in  the  company  of  carnal  and  loose  professors,  who 
join  to  hate  and  to  blacken  the  true  doctrines  of  the  Gospel, 
and  to  ridicule  a  life  of  strict  piety.     And  so  it  is  more  like- 
ly that  they  who  are  under  deep  and  genuine  legal  convic- 
tion, will  be  converted,  than  they  who  are  quite  secure  in  sin; 
and  more  likely  that  awakened  sinners  who  forsake  bad  com- 
pany, and  every  external  vicious  practice,  and  spend  much 
time  in  reading  God's  word,  in  hearing  good  preaching,  in. 
meditation,  in  secret  prayer,  and  withal  confess  their  faults  to 
those  they  have  ill  used,  and  make  restitution  to  those  they 
have  injured  ;  more  likely,  I  say,  that  awakened  sinners  will  be 
converted  who  take  this  course,  although  moved  thereto  mere- 
ly by  legal  terrors,  and  self-righteous  hope,  being  still  dead  in 
sin,  contrary  to  God  and  to  all  good  in  the  inmost  temper  of 
their  hearts ;  more  likely,  1  say,  than  if  they  with  Cain  fled 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  ran  to  taverns,  and  to 
frolics,  and  gave  up  themselves  to  drinking  and  debauchery, 
on  purpose  to  stifle  their  convictions,  and  drown  the  clamours 
of  their  consciences.    In  a  word,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that 
there  is  much  more,  even  an  hundred  or  a  thousand  times 
more  likelihood,  that  some  sinners  will  be  converted  than 
others.     Yet  still  it  remains  true  as  it  is  written,  Mat.  xix. 
30.  But  many  that  arefrst,  shall  bt  last ;  and  the  last  shall 
befrst.   See  also  Luke  xiii.  29,  30.  Thus  Cain  was  the  eldest 
child  of  Adam,  but  he  was  left,  while  Abel  was  taken.    And 


260  A  VIEW  OF  THE  EXHORTATIONS 

thus  the  Jews  were  God's  peculiar  people,  but  they  were  ca&t; 
off;  while  the  Gentiles  were  called.  And  thus  Judas,  one  of 
Christ's  own  family,  is  lost ;  while  a  persecuting  Saul,  brought 
up  among  the  Pharisees,  is  saved.  That  no  flesh  might  glory 
in  the  presence  of  God.  1  Cor.  i.  2fi — 31. 

Q.  b'.  Is  there  really  any  hope  at  all,  in  the  sinner's  case, 
that  he  will  be  converted  and  saved,  but  what  results  merely 
from  the  sovereign  grace  of  God  ? 

A.  The  same  sovereign  grace,  which  passed  by  the  fallen 
angels,  and  provided  a  Redeemer  for  fallen  man,  even  the 
Son  of  God,  to  die  in  our  stead,  must  as  freely  give  us  a  Sanc- 
tifier,  or  we  perish.  The  same  sovereign  grace  that  appoints 
oar  lot  in  a  land  of  light,  that  presents  us  with  the  external 
means  of  grace,  that  begins  the  work  of  conviction,  that 
drives  the  reluctant  sinner  to  an  external  reformation,  and  to 
a  close  attention  to  eternal  things  by  legal  terrors,  even  the 
same  sovereign  grace  must  carry  on  conviction  till  it  is  deep 
and  thorough,  and  give  repentance  unto  life,  or  the  work  will 
never  be  done.  For  the  sinner,  left  to  himself,  will  catch 
hold  of  some  false  hope,  or  go  back  to  security  ;  and  so  final- 
ly, if  left  to  himself,  will  infallibly  perish. — And  he  deserves 
to  be  left  to  himself.  He  is  under  the  curse  of  the  righteous 
law  of  God,  and  may  be  justly  given  up  to  ruin.  There  is 
nothing  but  the  sovereign  grace  of  God  to  prevent  it.  And 
so  there  is  really  no  hope  in  his  case,  but  what  at  bottom  re- 
sults merely  from  the  sovereign  grace  of  God.  Rom.  xi.  5, 
0,  7.  Eph.  ii.  1—5.  Tit.  iii.  3,  4,  5. 

Q.  9.  Is  it  for  the  advantage  of  the  sinner,  in  this  state, 
to  tell  him,  that  God  requires  him  to  do  as  he  does,  so  that 
in  doing  as  he  does,  he  does  what  God  requires  ? 

A.  No :  This  is  not  to  tell  him  the  truth,  nor  would  this 
tend  to  promote  his  good,  but  his  hurt :  even  to  settle  him 
down  on  his  own  righteousness,  while  dead  in  sin,  as  has 
been  before  shown.  Rather,  when  an  awakened  sinner  has 
been  in  his  closet  two  or  three  hours,  meditating,  crying,  and 
praying,  in  great  anguish,  driven  on  by  the  fears  of  hell  and 
self-righteous  hopes ;  yet  still  wholly  impenitent,  so  that  if 
there  was  no  hell,  he  would  never  make  another  prayer,  or 
shed  another  tear  for  his  sins,  but  rather  go  back  to  them 


AND  PERFECTIONS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.       26,1 

with  pleasure ;  when  he  rises  from  his  knees,  I  would  have 
his  conscience  cry  out  against  him  in  such  language  as  this — 
'  Oh,  thou  ungodly,  impenitent,  guilty  wretch  !  thou  hast  done 
nothing  all  this  while,  as  it  ought  to  be  done.  Thy  heart  is 
still  a  heart  of  stone,  wholly  opposite  to  God  and  to  all  good. 
This  is  thy  proper  character  ;  and  therefore  the  wrath  of  God 
still  ahideth  on  thee.'  For  this  is  the  very  truth. 

Q.  10.  What  directions  then  ought  to  be  given  to  such  a 
sinner  ?  And  what  ought  we  to  say  to  him  ? 

A.  Say  all  the  things  that  God  has  said.  Hold  up  the 
perfect  law  of  God  close  to  his  conscience,  to  show  him  his 
duty  and  his  sin :  for  the  law  is  the  school-master  which  God 
has  appointed  to  bring  us  to  Christ.  Hold  up  the  Gospel- 
way  of  salvation,  with  all  its  evidence  to  his  conscience,  that 
he  may  understand  and  believe  it ;  for  faith  cometh  by  hear- 
ing. And  let  the  whole  tenour  of  all  our  discourse,  to  the 
sinner,  be  to  explain  and  to  enforce  the  exhortation  of  John 
the  baptist,  of  Jetus  Christ,  and  of  his  apostles,  in  those  re- 
markable words,  REPENT,  AND  BELIEVE  THE  GOSPEL. 
This  will  tend  to  increase  genuine  conviction  of  all  sin  and 
guilt,  and  to  prevent  delusive  and  false  hopes,  and  to  shut 
him  up  to  the  faith. 

We  are  to  dwell  largely  on  the  being  and  perfections  of 
God,  and  our  original  obligations  to  him,  who  is  by  nature 
God,  and  our  Creator.  We  are  particularly  to  explain  the 
nature  and  reasonableness  of  the  divine  law,  and  to  answer 
the  sinner's  objections  against  it.  We  are  to  exhibit  to  his 
view  the  sin  which  he  stands  charged  with  in  the  divine  law, 
and  the  curse  he  is  under  for  it,  and  the  only  way  of  obtain- 
ing pardon  through  the  blood  of  Christ.  In  a  word,  we  are 
to  open  to  his  view  the  whole  plan  of  the  Gospel,  the  infinite 
riches  of  God's  grace,  the  nature  and  sufficiency  of  Christ's 
atonement,  the  readiness  of  God  to  forgive  repenting  sinners 
who  come  to  him  in  the  name  of  Christ,  the  calls  and  invita- 
tions of  the  Gospel,  the  dreadfulness  of  eternal  misery  in  the 
lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  ;  the  glory  and  blessedness  of  the 
heavenly  state,  the  shortness  and  uncertainty  of  time,  the 
worth  of  his  soul,  the  dangers  which  attend  him  from  the 
world,  the  flesh,  and  the  deril,  the  inexcusable  guilt  of  final 


A   VIEW    OF   THE    EXHORTATIONS 

impenitence,  the  aggravated  punishment  of  Gospel  sinners, 
&c.  &c.  &c.  And  so  bring  into  the  view  of  his  conscience 
every  argument  and  motive  to  repent  and  to  return  to  God 
through  Jesus  Christ. 

Just  as  any  plain  man  of  common  sense  would  do,  who 
was  sent  after  a  run-away  son,  who   had   risen  against  his 
father,  and  made  an  attempt  on  his  life,  and  then  run  off; 
for  which  his  father  had  disinherited  him,  and  was  determin- 
ed he  should  be  disinherited  for  ever,  unless  he  would  return, 
and  before  the  whole  family,  on  his  knees,  confess  his  funk, 
and  take  the  whole  blame  to  himself,  and  justify  his  father's 
resentments,  and  freely  own  and   acknowledge  that  it  was 
good  enough  for  him  to  be  cast  off  by  his  father,  and    no 
blemish,  but  a  beaut)  in  his  character,  to  disinherit  such  a  son  ; 
and  in  this  view,  ask   forgiveness,  as  of  mere  free  grace. 
Common  sense  would  teach  such  a  man,  in  all  he  said,  to 
this  rebellious,  run-away  son,  to  vindicate  his  father's  charac- 
ter and  conduct,  and  to  prove  to  him  that  all  the  blame  was 
in   him,  and  that  it  was  his  duty  and  interest,  without  the 
least  hesitation,  or  one  objection,  on  the  first  invitation,  to  do 
as  did  the  prodigal  in  the  parable,  when  he  came  to  himself, 
viz.  Arise,  and  go  to  hh  fathtr.     And   so  long  as  the  run- 
away son  should  refuse  to  do    this,  common  sense  would 
teach  any  plain  man  to  consider  him  as  impenitent ;  and  to 
look  upon  all  his  tears  and  cries  as  selfish  and  hypocritical. 
But  should  the  run-away  son  not  only  refuse  to  return,  but 
begin,  in  his  own  justification,  to  plead,  and  say,  '  my  fa- 
ther's character,  and  my  father's  government,  are  not  objects 
of  love.     He  has  disinherited  me.    To  love  him  would  be 
the  same  thing  as  to  love  to  be  disinherited  ;  which  would  be 
to  love  my  own  disgrace  and  poverty  ;  which  would  be  to 
love  my  own  misery  ;  which  is  impossible.     To  say,  that  this 
conduct  of  his  is  not  a  blemish,  but  a  beauty  in  his  character, 
would  be  a  sin  :  for  I  ought  to  love  myself,  and  to  stand  for 
my  honour,  and  for  my  right.     Such  a  submission  lie  shall 
never  have  from  me.     However,  if  he  will  receive  me  to  fa- 
vour, and  restore  me  to  the  inheritance,  impenitent  as  I  am,  I 
will  forgive  what  is  past,  and  be  reconciled  for  the  future.' 
Common  sense  would  declare  such  a  son,  not  only  impeni- 


AND    PERFECTIONS    OF    THE    (SOSPEL. 

tent,  but  obstinately  impenitent,  and  intolerably  haughty. 
And,  in  this  view,  any  plain  man  would  tell  him,  in  the  most 
peremptory  language,  that  there  was  no  hope  in  his  case,  un- 
less he  would  humble  himself,  and  come  to  a  deep  and  sound 
repentance.  Thus  John  the  baptist,  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
apostles,  called  sinners  to  repentance  ;  and  never  once  gave 
impenitent  sinners,  as  such,  the  least  ground  to  hope  for  par- 
don ;  but  expressly  said,  except  ye  repent  yt  shall  all  perish. 
And  to  the  true  penitent,  they  gave  no  ground  to  hope  for 
pardon,  on  the  foot  of  his  own  righteousness.  For  it  was  a 
settled  point,  that  without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  rtmis- 
sion.  And  indeed,  that  repentance  is  not  genuine,  in  which 
we  do  not,  from  the  heart,  give  up  every  self-justifying  plea, 
take  all  the  blame  to  ourselves,  and  accept  the  punishment 
of  our  iniquity,  with  a  disposition  to  look  only  to  free  grace 
through  Jesus  Christ,  for  that  pardon  and  salvation  which  the 
Gospel  offers. 

N.  B.  In  this  plan  of  dealing  with  an  awakened  sinner, 
two  things  are  taken  for  granted,  viz.  1.  That  total  clepravity 
and  moral  agency  are  consistent.  And  2.  That  repentance 
unto  life  is,  consistently,  both  the  sinner's  duty  and  God's 
gift.  Ezek.  xviii.  31.  and  chap,  xxxvi.  26.  Acts  ii.  38. 
Acts  iii.  19.  Acts  v.  31. 

Obj.  The  run-away  son,  in  the  similitude,  is  a  moral  agent 
with  respect  to  all  the  duties  required  of  him  by  his  father; 
and  so  is  wholly  to  blame  for  his  disaffection  to  his  father, 
and  may  be  considered  and  treated  accordingly  :  but  the  un- 
regenerate  sinner  is  not  a  moral  agent,  with  respect  to  that 
love  to  God  which  is  required  in  the  law,  or  to  that  faith 
and  repentance  which  are  called  for  in  the  Gospel.  That 
is,  he  cannot  love  God,  believe,  or  repent.  And  therefore  he 
cannot  be  considered,  as  being  wholly  to  blame  for  his  disaf- 
fection towards  God,  and  for  his  unbelief  and  impenitence, 
or  treated  accordingly.  For  '  to  love  God  as  exhibited  in  the 
law,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  his  own  misery/  And  to 
believe  in  Christ  and  repent,  before  he  has  had  'a  discovery 
of  Christ,'  is  as  impossible  as  it  is  to  love  an  object  of  which 
we  have  no  idea.  To  exhort  the  unregenerate  sinner,  there- 


264  A  VIEW  OF  TilE  EXHORTATIONS 

fore,  as  we  would  exhort  such  a  run-away  son,  is  absurd  and 
inconsistent,     p.  42,  43. 

Ans.  It  is  true  that  in  thus  dealing  with  the  awakened 
sinner,  we  consider  him,  while  unregenerate,  as  a  moral  agent, 
possessed    of  every  qualification  essential  to  moral  agency. 
For  we  think  that  unregcneracy  consists,  not  in  being  desti- 
tute of  any  of  those  natural  faculties  which  are  essential   to 
moral  agency,  but  only  in  being  destitute  of  a  heart  to  do 
our  duty,  and  in  having  an  heart  opposite  thereto.  John  iii.  6. 
Rom.  viii.  7.     But  want  of  inclination,  and  disinclination  to 
that   duty  which   God  requires   of  us,  instead  ofjessening 
blame,  is  that  for  which  we  are  blame-worthy.     Luke  xix. 
27-     We  consider  the  unregenerate  sinner,  therefore,  with 
respect  to  love  to  God  and  faith  in  Christ,  and  with   respect 
to  all  duties  required  in  law  and  Gospel,  as  a  moral   agent, 
to  whom  the  commands  of  the  one,  and   the  exhortations  of 
the  other  may,  with  propriety,  be  given  ;  and  who  is  wholly 
to  blame  in  not  obeying  the  one,  and  in  not  complying  with 
the  other.     And  all  we  shall,  at  present,  say  in  answer  to  the 
objection,  is,  that  if  the  unregenerate  sinner  is  not  a  moral 
agent  with  respect  to  the  divine  law,  then  he  does  not  deserve 
the  curse  of  it,  for  not  continuing  in  all  things :  which  to  say, 
is  to  contradict  Gal.  iii.  10.  And  if  he  is  not  a  moral  agent, 
with  respect  to  the  Gospel,  the  external  revelation  of  it  being 
enjoyed,  then  he  is  not  to  blame  for  impenitence  and  unbe- 
lief, nor  does  he  deserve  any    punishment  for  these  crimes  : 
which  to  say,  is   to  contradict  Mat.  xi.  20 — 24.     Luke   x. 
5 — 12.     John  iii.  18,  19.     John  xvi.  9.     In  a  word,   if  the 
unregenerate  sinner  is  not  a  moral  agent  with  respect  to  law 
and  Gospel,  then  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  which  con- 
sider and  treat  him  as  such,  are  not  from  God.     To  say, 
therefore,  he  is  not  a  moral  agent,  is  in  effect  to  give  up  di- 
vine revelation.  That  is,  to  say  that  the  unregenerate  sinner  is 
not  wholly  to  blame  in  not  loving  God  with  all  his  heart,  and 
his  neighbour  as  himself;  and  that  the  unregenerate  sinner, 
who  lives  under  the  light  of  the  Gospel,  is  not  wholly  to 
blame  for  impenitence  and  unbelief,  is  to  deny  the  first  prin- 
ciples of  the  Scripture  scheme  of  religion,  and  in  effect,  to 
give  up  the  whole  of  it.     And  to  give  up  the  bible,  rather 


ANB  PERFECTIONS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  265 

than  to  take  that  blame  to  ourselves,  which  belongs  to  us,  is 
the  very  essence  of  infidelity,  and  that  which  constitutes  it 
so  great  a  crime.  John  iii.  19,  20. — See  President  Edwards 
on  Freedom  of  Will)  part  3.  sect.  iv. 


SECTION  V. 

Gal.  iii.  10.  For  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law, 
are  under  the  curse.  For  it  is  written,  cursed  is  every  one  that 
contimitth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of 
the  law  to  do  them. 

Impenitent,  self-righteous,  Christless  sinners,  are  under  the  curse 
of  the  law  of  God:  but  this  is  inconsistent  reith  their  bring 
in  covenant  with  God,  in  good  standing  in  his  sight,  by  any 
works  which  they  do,  while  such. 

WE  will  premise  a  few  things,  and  then  particularly  ex- 
plain and  prove  the  above  proposition,  and  show  the  incon- 
sistence  between  the  covenant  of  works,  and  Mr.  M.'i  extei- 
nal  covenant,  considered  as  conditional. 

1 .  God  the  Creator  and  moral  Governor  of  the  world,  did 
originally  deserve  supreme  love,  and  universal,  perfect  obedi- 
ence from  his  creature  man.     This  was  implied  in  that  law 
given  to  Adam,  in  the  day  thou  eatest   thereof,  thou  shalt 
surely  die. 

2.  God  is  in  himself  as  amiable  now  as  he  was  before  the 
fall  of  man  ;  as  worthy  to  be  loved,  honoured,  and  obeyed  ; 
for  he  is  the  same  now  that  he  was  then.     There  is  no  alter- 
ation in  his  nature,  and  he  has  done  nothing  to  forfeit  his 
character  ;  if,  therefore,  before  the  fall  he  was  worthy  of  love, 
Le  is  equally  worthy  since.     To  say,  that  there  was  originally 
any  blemish  in  the  divine  character ;  or  to  say,  that  he  has 
brought  any  blemish  upon  himself  in  any  instance  of  his  con- 
duct, since  the  beginning  of  the  world,  is  to  deny  his  divini- 
ty.    It  is  to  say,  that  he  is  not  by  nature  God ;  he  is  not, 
and  never  was,  an  absolutely  perfect  Being.     A  denial  of  the 
divinity  of  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  the  Arian  heresy.   But 

VOL.  JIT.  34 


266  IMPENITENT  CHR1STLESS  SINNKRS> 

we  must  deny  the  divinity  of  God  the  Father,  we  must  deny 
jthe  divinity  of  the  Godhead  itself,  or  we  can  never  justify  the 
least  degree  of  disaffection  toward  the  Deity  in  our  hearts: 
but  must  take  the  whole  blame  to  ourselves.  For  if  God  is  in 
himself  the  same  infinitely  amiable  Being  he  has  been  from 
everlasting,  and  if  all  his  conduct  has  been  like  himself,  per- 
fect in  beauty,  without  a  blemish  ;  if  we  do  not  love  him  with 
all  our  hearts  the  whole  fault  must  be  in  ourselves,  and  not  at 
all  in  him. — And  on  the  other  hand,  if  God  has  in  any  in- 
stance done  amiss,  not  conducted  in  that  perfect,  in  that 
amiable  and  glorious  manner  which  became  him,  who  is  by 
nature  God  ;  it  must  be  owned,  that  we  have  just  cause  to 
love  him  less,  and  in  some  degree,  at  least,  to  dislike  him  ; 
arid  our  conduct  in  so  doing  may  be  vindicated.  Nor  can 
God  be  just  when  he  speaketh,  or  clear  when  he  judgeth,  if 
he  looks  upon  us  and  treats  us  as  being  wholly  to  blame,  in 
not  loving  him  with  all  our  hearts.  But  if  the  blame  is  not 
wholly  in  us,  it  is  partly  in  him.  And  if  there  is  the  least 
blemish  in  his  character  or  conduct,  then  he  is  not  so  perfect 
as  he  might  be  ;  he  is  not  absolutely  perfect ;  that  is,  he  is  not 

God.- Therefore, 

3.  The  denial  of  the  divinity  of  the  one  only  true  and  living 
God,  is  the  only  foundation  on  which,  consistently,  fallen 
man  can  be  justified  more  or  less,  in  not  perfectly  conforming 
to  the  divine  law.  For  if  it  is  granted,  that  the  divine  charac- 
ter was  originally,  absolutely  perfect,  and  that  the  whole  of 
his  conduct  towards  us,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  has 
been  absolutely  perfect  too,  then  every  thing  in  God,  and  be- 
longing to  God,  conspires  to  render  him,  a  perfectly  amiable 
and  lovely  Being,  and  to  oblige  us  to  love  him  with  all  our 
hearts,  and  to  rentier  us  criminal  and  without  excuse  in  the 
least  neglect  or  defect.  Nor  can  there  be  any  excuse  in- 
vented but  what  must  issue  in  a  denial  of  his  divinity.  For 
if  the  fault  is  not  wholly  In  us,  it  is  partly  in  him:  and  if 
partly  in  him,  then  he  is  not  absolutely  perfect ;  i.  e.  he  is 
not  God. — And  to  say  that,  by  the  fall,  man  ceased  to  be  a 
moral  agent  is,  by  fair  construction,  subversive  of  the  whole 
of  divine  revelation.  For, 


UNDER  THE  CURSE  OF  THE  LAW   OF  GOD.  fi67 

4.  It  is  a  dictate  of  common  sense,  that  we  do  not  need  a 
surety  to  pay  a  debt  for  us,  which  we  ourselves  do  not  owe. 
And,  therefore,  if  the  divine  law  was  not  binding  on  fallen 
man,  antecedent  to  the  consideration  of  Christ's  undertaking 

O 

to  answer  the  demands  of  the  law  in  our  stead,  then  there 
was  no  need  that  he  should  have  undertaken  to  answer  the 
demands  of  the  law  in  our  stead.  For  there  was  no  need 
that  our  surety  should  pay  a  debt  for  us,  that  we  ourselves 
did  not  owe,  and  could  never  have  owed  had  he  never  underta- 
ken in  our  behalf.  An  atonement  might  have  been  needed  for 
Adam's  first  offence ;  but  if  Adam  and  all  his  race,  on  the 
apostasy,  ceased  to  be  moral  agents,  and  so  ceased  to  be 
hound  by  the  moral  law  to  perpetual,  perfect  obedience,  as 
Mr.  M.  maintains,  (p.  50.)  there  was  no  need  of  an  atone- 
ment for  the  many  offences  which  have  taken  place  since  the 
fall :  for  these  many  offences  are  not  sins;  for  where  there  is 
no  law,  there  is  no  transgression.  And  sin  is  not  imputed 
where  there  is  no  1ar&.  And  thus,  if  we  give  up  the  law,  we 
must  give  up  the  Gospel  too ;  and  to  be  consistent,  become 
infidels  complete.  But, 

'  5.  If  God  the  Creator,  and  moral  Governor  of  the  world, 
was  originally  an  absolutely  perfect  Being:  and  if  he  deserv- 
ed the  supreme  love  and  the  perfect  obedience  of  his  crea- 
ttire  man  before  the  fall,  and  if  he  deserves  the  same  since 
the  fall ;  and  if  we,  retaining  our  original  natural  faculties, 
by  which  before  the  fall  man  was  a  moral  agent,  remain 
the  same  still  ;  then  may  we  consistently  believe  the  bible  to 
be  the  word  of  God.  For,  on  these  hypotheses,  the  divine 
law  may  be  vindicated,  which,  relative  to  fallen  man,  and 
considered  as  unregenerate  and  Christless,  says,  cursed  is  eve- 
ry one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them.  And  if  this  law  was  worthy  of  God, 
then  it  might  be  worthy  of  God  to  appoint  his  Son  to  be 
made  a  curse,  to  redeem  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  But 
of  this  I  have  spoken  particularly  heretofore  ^  and  so  need 
not  enlarge.  Therefore, 

y  Essay  on  the  nature  and  glory  of  the  Gospel.  Sect.  III.  and  IV.  To  •which 
essay  I  am  constrained  so  frequently  to  refer  tl^e  reader,  in  order  te  avoid  re 
publishing  things  which  I  hare  already  written  in  that  book. 


268  IMPENITENT    CHUISTLESS    SINNERS, 

We  proceed  to  explain  and  prove  the  proposition  before  laid 
down,  viz.  That  impenitent,  self-righteons,  Christless  sinners, 
are  under  the  cune  of  the  law  of  God ;  but  this  is  inconsistent 
with  their  being  in  covenant  with  God,  in  good  standing  in  his 
sight.  For  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are  under 
the  curse,  &c.  And, 

1.  By  sin  is  meant,  '  any   want  of  conformity  unto,  or 
transgression  of  the  law   of  God."     This  definition  of  sin, 
which  is  given  hy  the  assembly  of  divines  at   Westminster,  is 
taken  out  of  those  two  texts.      1  John  iii.  4.    Sin  is  a  trans- 
gression of  the  taw.     Gal.  iii.  10.     Cursed  is  every  one,  that 
continutth  not  in  all  things,  8tc. 

2.  By  the  law,  is  meant,  God's  holy  law,  which  requires 
holiness,  and  nothing  but  holiness.     For  if  the  law  of  God 
required  sin,  then  sin  would  be  not  only  (  a  transgression  of,' 
but  also  *  a  conformity  unto'  the  law  of  God  ;  an  absurdity 
essential  to  Mr.  M.'s  scheme.     An  absurdity  his  scheme  can 
no  sooner  get  rid  of,  than  the  Ethiopian  can  change  his  skin. 

The  holiness  required  in  the  divine  law  is  summed  up  in 
love.  '  The  sum  of  the  ten  commandments  is,  thou  shall 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  &c.  and  thy  neigh- 
bour as  thyself.'  So  we  were  taught  by  our  catechism,  when 
we  were  children.  Nor  am  I  able  to  express  my  sentiments 
with  more  plainness  and  precision  on  the  subject,  than  was 
done  in  my  former  piece,  p.  25,  26.  '  The  law  of  Moses, 
which  was  the  rule  of  duty  in  the  covenant  into  which  the 
Israelites  entered,  required  nothing  but  holiness.  That  co- 
venant which  was  externally  exhibited,  and  externally  enter- 
ed into,  was  so  far  from  being  a  graceless  covenant,  that  it 
required  nothing  but  true  grace  and  real  holiness;  nothing 
but  love,  with  all  its  various  exercises  and  fruits,  in  heart  and 
life;  love  to  God  and  man  ;  of  this  we  are  expressly  assured 
by  one  who  came  from  God,  and  infallibly  understood  the 
nature  of  that  dispensation.  Mat.  xxii.  36 — 40.  Master, 
which  is  the  great  commandment  of  the  lawf  said  a  Pharisee 
to  our  Saviour,  referring  to  the  law  of  Moses.  Jesus  said  unto 
him,  thou  shall  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  &,c. 
this  is  the  first  and  great  commandment ;  and  the  second  is 
tike  unto  it,  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  Thus 


UNDER  THE  CURSE  OF  THE  LAW  OF  GOD. 

he  had  answered  the  Pharisee's  question.  But  he  proceeded 
to  add  another  sentiment,  which  overthrew  the  Pharisaic 
scheme  by  the  roots.  On  these  two  commands  hang  all  the 
law  and  the  prophets  :  for.  if  the  law  obliged  the  Jew  to  per- 
form every  duty  in  a  holy  manner,  out  of  love  ;  and  required 
no  other  kind  of  obedience  but  this;  if  all  the  law  and  the 
prophets  hung  on  thtse  two  commands ;  so  that  radically  love 
was  all;  so  that  this  holy  love  was  the  fulfilling  of  the  law, 
(Rom.  xiii.  8.  10.;)  then  the  Pharisees,  who  were  entirely 
destitute  of  this,  were  equally  destitute  of  that  kind  of  religion 
required  in  the  Mosaic  law,  and  so  their  scheme  was  torn  up 
by  the  roots.  It  is  not  only  a  fundamental  maxim  in  the 
scripture  scheme  of  religion,  that /ore  is  the  julfilling  of  the 
law  ;  but  it  is  expressly  affirmed,  that  without  love  the  highest 
gifts,  and  the  greatest  attainments,  the  most  expensive  deeds, 
and  the  most  cruel  sufferings,  are  nothing,  and  will  profit  no- 
tbing.  The  apostle  Paul  carries  the  point  so  far  as  to  say, 
Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  angels,  and  have 
not  charity,  I  am  as  sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal ; 
as  destitute  of  true  and  real  virtue.  And  though  I  have  the 
gift  of  prophesy,  and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  have  all 
knowledge  ;  and  though  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  1  could  re- 
move mountains,  and  have  no  charity,  I  urn  nothing.  And 
to  carry  the  point  as  high  as  it  can  possibly  be  carried,  lie 
adds ;  "  and  though  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor, 
and  though  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not  chari- 
ty, it  profiteth  me  nothing."  For  in  his  view  charity,  or 
love,  was  the  sum  total  of  all  virtue.  Therefore,  where  there 
is  no  love,  there  is  no  virtue  :  not  the  least  degree  of  confor- 
mity to  God's  nature  and  law.'  For  the  apostle  never  dreamt, 
that  that  self-love  which  reigns  in  the  hearts  of  devils,  and 
of  wicked  men,  was  any  part  of  that  charity  in  which  he  made 
all  true  virtue  to  consist.  For  then  it  could  not  have  been 
said  of  the  vilest  sinner,  that  he  hath  no  charity;  whereas  the 
apostle  supposes  this  might  be  true,  of  some  eminent  profes- 
sors, who  even  gave  all  their  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  thtir 
bodies  to  be  burned,  that  they  had  no  charity.  Besides,  if  that 
self-love  is  a  part  of  what  the  divine  law  requires,  then  that 
which  is  the  principle  of  ail  enmity  against  the  Dtity,  is  mat- 


1MPEMTENT  CHR1STLESS  SINNERS, 

ter  of  duty  :  than  which,  nothing  can  be  more  absurd  z.    But 
to  proceed  : 

3.  By  a  sinner,  in  the  proposition,   is   not  meant  merely 
one  that  has  sinned,  and  does  sin  every  day,  for  this  is  true 
of  saints.     But  by  a  sinner,  is  meant,  one  who  is  wholly  desti- 
tute of  that  holiness  which   is  required  in  God's  law;  one 
who  has  been  born  only  of  the  flesh,  and  so  is  only  flesh  : 
who  hath  not  been  born  of  the  spirit,  and  so  hath  not  the  spi- 
rit of  Christ  ;  whose  character  is  given  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
in  Rom.  viii.  7,  8.     "  The  carnal   mind  is  enmity  against 
God  ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be  :  so  then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  connot  please  God." 
For  that  the  Holy  Ghost  meant  to  comprehend  all  unregene- 
rate  sinners,  is  evident  from  the  next  words,    ver.  9.    "  But 
ye  are  not  in  the   flesh,  but  in  the  spirit,  if  so  be  that  the  spi- 
rit of  God  dwell  in  you.''      So  then  all  those,  in  whom  the 
spirit  of  God  dwelled)  not,  are  in  the  flesh  ;  which  is  the 
character  of  every  Christless  sinner.     For  ij  any  man  have 
not  the  spirit  of  Chiist,  he  is  iwnc  of  his.     So  that   by  a  sin- 
ner is  meant,  one  who  is  dead  in  sin,  and  an  enemy  to  God. 
A  character,  in  the  sight  of  God,  infinitely  criminal ;  as  is 
evident  from  this,  that  his  law  dooms  persons  of  this  charac- 
ter to  eternal  misery,  which  is  a  punishment  infinitely  dread- 
ful. 

4.  By  an  impenitent  stlf-righteoiis  sinner,  is  meant  a  sinner 
who  being  really  of  the  character  just  stated,  yet  instead  of 
confessing  and  forsaking,  is  habitually  disposed  to  cover  his 
sins,  and  justify  himself  in  his  wickedness.  Even  as  our  first 
parents  covered  their  nakedness  with  fig-leaves,  and  did  all 
they  could  to  hide  themselves  from  God,  and  said  all  they 
could  to  justify  themselves.  The  last  words  which  Adam 
spake  when  called  before  his  Judge,  previous  to  the  sentence 

z  When  it  is  said,  thou  shall  love  thy  neighbour  as  tftyself,  this  neither  justifies 
the  selfish  spirit  of  wicked  men,  nor  requires  the  exercise  of  a  like  temper  with 
respect  to  their  neighbour ;  but  only  teaches  us  that  as  our  neighbour's  welfare  is 
•worth  as  much  as  our  own,  (c&teris  panbus,')  so  it  ought  to  be  as  dear  to  us,  as 
our  own  ought  to  be.  Even  as  it  is  among  the  angels  in  heaven,  and  as  it  must 
always  be  in  creatures  under  the  perfect  government  of  pure  benevolence.  For 
this  will  be  exercised  towards  bi-ings,  in  proportion  to  their  true  worth.  See 
President  Edwards  on  tli/e  nat\A~e  of  true  virtue. 


r  NttEH  THE  CUB8E  OE  THE  LAW  OF  GOD.  £71 

passed  upon  him,  were  designed  to  excuse  himself,  and  lo 
lay  the  blame  upon  God,  who  had  given  him  such  a  tempter  ; 
and  upon  her  who  had  tempted  him.  The  words  are  very 
remarkable.  The  woman,  which  thou  gavest  to  be  with  me, 
she  gave  me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat.  And  yet  Mr.  M.  re- 
presents Adam  in  these  words,  as  making  '  a  full  confession 
of  his  guilt,'  (p.17.)  and  as  being  so  humbled,  'as  that  he 
was  prepared  to  receive  a  discovery  of  redeeming  mercy  with 
all  his  heart.'  (p.  47  )  It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  flatter  sin- 
ners into  a  good  opinion  of  themselves.  Adam  first  covered 
his  nakedness  with  fig-leaves,  before  God  came  to  call  him 
to  an  account :  for  he  could  not  endure  to  see  himself.  And 
when  God  came  he  fled,  and  he  hid  himself  from  the.  presence 
of  the  Lord  amongst  the  frees  of  the  garden  :  for  he  could  not 
endure  to  be  seen  by  God.  For  he  that  doth  evil  hateth  the 
light.  And  when  he  was  forced  to  come  forth,  and  appear 
before  his  Judge,  he  came  with  guile  in  his  mouth,  saying, 
/  was  afraid,  because  I  was  naked,  and  I  hid  myself.  For  it 
was  not  the  nakedness  of  his  body,  but  a  guilty  conscience, 
which  made  him  hide  himself.  But  he  could  not  bear  to 
own  his  sin.  He  dreaded  to  have  it  brought  into  view  :  and 
when  closely  examined  and  pinched  to  the  very  heart,  so 
that  he  could  not  conceal  the  fact  which  he  had  done  ;  yet 
then  he  would  cunningly  put  into  his  confession,  every  ex- 
tenuating circumstance,  that  as  much  as  possible  the  blame 
might  be  cast  off  from  himself,  wherever  else  it  might  fall. 
Ungrateful  wretch  !  to  blame  his  kind  Creator,  and  bountiful 
benefactor  !  The  woman,  which  thou  gavest  to  be  with  me,  she 
gave  me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat.  Nothing  is  owned,  but 
merely  the  external  act ;  the  bad  intention,  the  proud,  wicked, 
rebellious  heart,  is  kept  out  of  view  ;  their  aspiring  to  be  as 
God's;  their  believing  the  serpent's  lies  before  the  God  of  truth, 
&c.  &c.  But  here  we  have  a  specimen  of  the  true  nature  of 
Impenitence.  This  disposition  to  cover  their  sin  took  place 
in  our  first  parents  on  their  fall,  and  it  has  spread  through  all 
their  guilty  race.  And  mankind  have  proceeded  so  far,  as 
even  to  invent  new  schemes  of  religion,  not  revealed  in,  but 
contrary  to  the  holy  Sciiptures,  to  cover  their  sins  and  to  jus- 
tify themselves  i,n  their  wickedness.  Nor  may  it  be  amiss 


272  IMPENITENT  CHRISTLESS  SINNERS, 

to  mention  one  or  two  schemes  of  this  sort,  that  we  ma}'  see 
how  the  charge  exhibited  in  the  divine  law  against  the  sin- 
ner is  evaded,  and  himself  freed  from  blame,  and  justified  in 
his  own  conscience.  Thus, 

The  charge  exhibited  in  God's  holy  law  against  the  sinner 
is,  that  he  sins  and  deserves  eternal  damnation,  for  not  con- 
tinuing in  all  things  written  in  tht  book  of  the  law  to  do  them. 
But '  the  sum  of  the  ten  commandments  is,  thou  shall  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart;  and  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself.'  The  Arminian  pleads,  and  says,  no  man  can  be 
obliged  to  keep  this  law.  For  no  man  can  exercise  principles 
which  he  has  not.  For  that  implies  a  contradiction  a.  But  we 
have  lost  our  power '  of  yielding  perfect  obedience  in  Adam. 
We  cannot  love  God  with  all  our  heart,  and  our  neighbour  as 
ourselves.  We  ate  not  to  blame  for  not  doing  what  we 
cannot  do.  And  therefore,  we  are  not  to  blame,  nor  do  we 
deserve  the  curse  for  not  continuing  in  all  things  written  in 
the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them.  This  law  is  too  severe  for  a 
fallen  world.  Christ  has  died  for  us  ;  and  so  the  law  is  aba- 
ted. And  if  we  do  as  well  as  we  can,  we  shall  be  saved. 
For  it  would  be  unjust  for  God  to  require  more  of  us  than  we 
can  do,  and  then  damn  us  for  not  doing/  Thus  they  reason, 
and  thus  they  believe,  and  thus  their  sins  are  covered  even 
from  the  sight  of  their  own  consciences,  and  they  stand  justi- 
fied in  themselves. — Again, 

The  charge  exhibited  in  God's  holy  law  against  the  sinner  is, 
that  he  sins,  and  deserves  eternal  damnation  for  not  continuing 

a  By  a  principle  of  love  is  meant,  a  disposition  to  love,  or  a  Jieart  to  love.  But 
to  say,  I  have  no  heart  to  love  God,  and  therefore  I  am  not  obliged  to  love  him, 
is  to  say,  that  the  more  depraved  I  am  the  less  to  blame  I  am.  He  who  has  no 
heart  at  all  to  honour  his  father  and  his  mother,  is,  on  this  hypothesis,  blameless. 
Let  the  parents  be  ever  so  worth}',  if  the  child  has  no  heart  to  love  and  honour 
them,  he  is  free.  So  a  dishonest  man,  who  has  no  heart  to  pay  his  debts,  is'not 
obliged  ;  and  a  covetous  niggard,  who  has  no  heart  to  give  to  the  poor,  is  not 
bound.  For  on  this  hypothesis,  our  inclination  is  our  rule  of  duty,  and  not  the 
law  of  God.  Not  what  is  right  and  fit,  and  as  such  is  required  by  God,  the  sole 
Monarch  of  the  universe,  is  my  duty  ;  but  only  that  which  suits  my  own  heart 
So  Pharoah  said,  Who  is  the  Lord?  I  knoie  not  the  Lord,  nor -will  I  obey  his 
voice.  Pharoah  had  no  principle  of  love  and  obedience,  and  so  he  was  not  oblig- 
ed. So  he  felt.  But  the  God  of  the  Hebrews  imputed  it  to  him  for  sin. 


UNDER  THE  CURSE  OF  THE  LAW  OF  GOD.  2?^ 

in  all  things  written  in  the  buvk  of  the  law  to  do  them. — But, 
(  the  sum  of  the  ten  commandments  is,  thou  shah  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbour  as  thy- 
self.'— The  Antinomian  pleads,  and  says,  '  this  law  is  not  in 
force  with  respect  to  fallen  man  at  all :  and  so  I  am  not  in 
the  least  to  hlame  for  not  continuing  in  all  things  written  in 
it.  For  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in 
his  law,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  my  own  misery.  But  to 
love  my  own  misery  is  to  take  pleasure  in  pain  ;  which  is  an 
express  contradiction,  and  in  its  very  nature  absolutely  im- 
possible ;  and  even  inconsistent  with  my  continuing  to  exist 
as  a  sensible  being,  and  a  moral  agent.  And  besides,  it  is 
contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  which  requires  me  to  love  my- 
self. That  law,  therefore,  which  was  given  to  Adam  in  inno- 
cence, and  which  obliged  him  to  love  that  character  of  God 
•which  was  exhibited  in  it,  is  entirely  set  aside  since  the  fall ; 
and  is  binding  on  no  child  of  Adam,  more  or  less,  as  a 
rule  of  duty.  For  it  is  not  the  duty  of  any  one,  to  love  that 
character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  moral  law.  Nay, 
it  is  now,  since  the  fall,  contrary  to  the  law  of  God  to  do  it. 
For  the  law  of  God  requires  us  to  love  ourselves ;  but  to  love 
that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  moral  law, 
is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  our  own  misery.  And,  therefore, 
instead  of  its  being  a  duty,  it  is  a  sin  repugnant  to  the  law  of 
God,  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the 
moral  law ;  and  so  it  ought  not  to  be  done. — Moreover,  no 
unregenerate  unbeliever  can  love  that  character  of  God 
which  is  revealed  in  the  Gospel,  because  he  doth  not  know  it. 
For  an  unknown  object  cannot  he  loved.  For  to  love  an  ob- 
ject of  which  we  have  no  idea,  is  to  love  nothing,  which  ia  a 
contradiction,  and  in  its  own  nature  absolutely  impossible. 
Wherefore,  before  Christ  is  discovered  to  the  soul  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  while  unregenerate,  no  man  is  in  duty  bound 
to  love  either  the  character  of  God,  exhibited  in  the  law,  or 
the  character  of  God  revealed  in  the  Gospel.  Nothing, 
therefore,  remains  for  unregenerate  unbelievers  to  do,  as  their 
present  duty,  but  to  reform  their  external  practice,  use  the 
means  of  grace,  and  strive  and  do  their  utmost,  as  unregene- 
rate sinners  may  do,  while  such.  Of  such  therefore  it  may 
VOL,  in.  35 


274  IMPENITENT  CHRISTLES*  SINNERS, 

be  said,  that  they  forsake  all  known  sin,  and  practise  all 
known  duty.  Such  then,  who  are  come  to  a  fixed  resolution 
thus  to  do,  are  qualified  to  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  and 
to  attend  sealing  ordinances.  For  their  being  destitute  of 
faith,  repentance  and  love,  is  their  calamity,  but  not  their 
sin.' — Thus  Antinomians  reason,  thus  they  believe,  and  thus 
their  sins  are  covered,  even  from  the  sight  of  their  own  con- 
sciences, and  they  stand  justified  in  themselves.  And  thus 
we  see,  what  is  meant  by  an  impenitent,  sztf-righteous  sin- 
ner, viz.  a  sinner  obstinate  in  his  disaffection  to  the  Deity, 
who  covers  his  sins,  and  justifies  himself  in  his  wickedness. 
To  proceed : 

5.  By  a  Christless  sinner  is  meant,  a  sinner  who  doth  not 
receive,  but  doth  in  his  heart  reject  Jesus  Christ  ;  and  so  is 
not  interested  in  him,  and  the  blessings  purchased  by  him  ; 
and  so  remains  at  present  under  the  curse  of  the  law  and  the 
wrath  of  God,  as  truly  and  really  as  if  Christ  had  never  died  ; 
according  to  those  words  in  John  iii.  18.  36.  He  that  be- 
lieveth  not  is  condemned  already ;  and  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him.  But,  in  this  sense,  every  impenitent  self- 
righteous  sinner,  is  a  Christless  sinner;  for  this  plain  reason, 
because  they  do  not  receive,  but  reject  Christ.  As  it  is  writ- 
ten, Luke  v.  31.  The  zekule  need  not  a  physician,  but  the  sick. 
For  sinners  never  feel  their  want  of  Christ,  or  look  to  God 
through  him  for  pardon  in  those  things  in  which  they  justi- 
fy themselves;  or  for  divine  assistance  in  those  things  which 
they  think  themselves  not  bound  in  duty  to  do.  For  instance, 
an  Arminian,  as  he  does  not  think  himself  to  blame  for  not 
loving  God  with  all  his  heart ;  so  he  never  means  to  ask  par- 
don of  God  in  the  name  of  Christ,  as  being  to  blame  for 
this.  He  only  blames  himself,  when  he  neglects  to  do  as 
well  as  he  can  in  his  own  sense  of  the  phrase;  and  feels 
guilt  and  need  of  pardon  only  in  these  instances.  But  as  to 
the  law  of  perfection,  as  hc"thmks  himself  not  bound  by  that, 
so  he  thinks  himself  not  to  blame  for  not  continuing  in  all 
things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them  ;  and  so  no 
atonement,  no  sanctifier,  no  repentance,  no  pardon  are  need- 
ed in  this  case.  So  again,  an  Antinomian,  as  he  doth  not  be- 
lieve it  to  be  his  duty  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is 


UNDER  THE  CURSE  OF  THE  LAW  OP  COD.       275 

exhibited  in  his  holy  law  ;  so  he  never  confesseth  his  sin  in 
not  doing  it,  or  asks  pardon  of  God,  or  dreams  that  he  needs 
any  pardon  in  this  case;  or  any  Redeemer  to  atone  for  this 
sin,  or  any  Sanctifier  to  enable  him  to  do  this  duty.  For,  :f 
it  is  not  his  duty  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is  ex- 
hibited in  his  law,  then  he  needs  no  assistance  to  do  it.  FOF 
we  need  divine  assistance  only  to  enable  us  to  do  our  duty. 
And  if  it  is  not  his  duty  to  love  that  character  of  God  which 
is  exhibited  in  his  holy  law,  then  he  is  guilty  of  no  sin  in  not 
loving  it ;  and  so  needs  no  Christ,  no  atonement,  no  repent- 
ance, no  pardon  in  the  affair  :  and  thus,  that  Christ,  that 
pardoo,  that  grace,  which  are  offered  in  the  Gospel,  he  doth 
not  need  ;  and  so  doth  not  receive,  but  reject.  Yea,  he  re- 
jects all  as  an  abuse.  For,  to  tell  a  sinner  he  needs  a  par- 
don in  that  in  which  he  justifies  himself,  will  affront  him ; 
he  will  think  himself  abused  ;  he  will  think  himself  implicitly 
charged  with  guilt,  in  that  in  which  he  is  not  guilty.  And 
so  instead  of  desiring  the  pardon,  he  will  reject  the  offer  as  an 
abuse.  And  thus  do  all  impenitent,  self-righteous  sinners, 
with  respect  to  that  pardon,  and  to  that  sanctifying  grace, 
which  the  Gospel  offers.  As  they  need  neither  the  one  nor 
the  other,  so  they  reject  both,  with  all  their  hearts.  For  the 
whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  the  sick. 

And  in  every  instance  in  which  men  justify  themselves, 
they  depend,  so  far  as  they  have  any  dependance,  for  accep- 
tance in  the  sight  of  God,  not  on  the  atonement  of  Christ, 
but  on  their  own  innocence.  For  their  plea  is,  NOT  GUILTY. 
Here  they  join  issue  ;  and  appeal  to  the  judgment-seal  of  God. 
Luke  xviii.  9 — 13.  And  therefore, 

If  the  divine  law  doth  require  mankind  lo  be  perfect ,  as  our 
Fattier  which  is  in  heaven  is  perject,  notwithstanding  our  fall- 
en state  :  if  the  law  of  God  requires  perfection  of  us  as  much 
as  it  did  of  Adam  ;  if  we  are  to  blame,  and  deserve  eternal 
death,  for  not  continuing  in  all  things,  as  really  as  Adam  did 
for  eating  the  forbidden  fruit ;  and  if,  on  this  hypothesis,  and 
in  this  view,  Christ  was  made  a  curse  to  redttm  sinners  from 
this  curst ;  yet,  if  we  plead  NOT  GUILTY;  if  we  affirm  that  we 
are  not  bound  by  this  law ;  if  we  affirm  that  in  our  fallen  state 
ft  is  not  possible  that  we  should  be  bound  by  it;  if  we  join  i»- 


276  IMPENITENT  CHRISTLESS  SINNERS, 

sue  on  this  point,  and  appeal  to  the  judgment  of  God;  if  God 
brings  us  in  GUILTY,  at  the  great  day,  it  will  be  too  late  then 
to  shift  our  plea.  It  will  be  too  late  to  say,  that  our  depen- 
danee  was  on  the  atonement  of  Christ.  For  it  may  be  retort- 
ed, '  If  you  were  not  guilty,  you  needed  no  atonement. 
But  this  was  your  plea,  NOT  GUILTY.  And  you  appealed  to 
the  judgment-seat  of  God.  It  is  too  late,  therefore,  now  to 
pretend  you  depended  on  the  atonement.  Your  first  plea 
precludes  this.'  They  must  therefore  have  their  trial,  and 
stand  or  fall,  for  eternity,  on  their  first  plea  of  NOT  GUILTY. 
And  therefore  it  will  come  to  pass,  that  every  impenitent, 
self-righteous  sinner  will  be  condemned,  unless  they  can  make 
their  first  plea  good,  at  the  bar  of  God.  If  the  Judge  will 
give  up  his  law,  they  may  be  acquitted.  But  if  he  abides  by 
what  is  written,  viz.  As  many  as  are  of  the  works  oj  the  law 
are  under  the  curse  ;  as  it  is  written,  cursed  is  every  one  that 
continueth  not  in  ail  things  written  in  the  book  oj  the  law  to, 
do  them ;  there  will  be  no  hope  in  their  case,  at  that  day. 
And  therefore,  all  who,  either  on  the  Arminian,  or  on  the  An- 
tinomian,  or  on  any  other  plan,  do  in  heart  reject  the  per- 
fect law  of  God,  for  their  rule  of  life  in  this  world,  will  perish 
for  ever  in  the  ne^t. 

And  thus  we  see  what  is  meant  by  an  imptnitent,  self- 
righteous,  Christ/ess  sinner.  Now  in  the  proposition  it  is  said, 
that '  impenitent,  self-righteous,  Christless  sinners,  are  under 
the  curse  of  the  law  of  God.'  But, 

6.  By  the  curse  of  the  law  is  meant,  the  curse  threatened 
in  the  law  of  God  ;  even  aU  the  curses  written  in  God's  book, 
comprising  '  all  the  miseries  of  this  life,  and  death  itself,  and 
the  pains  of  hell  forever.' 

7.  When  it  is  said,  that  they  are  under  this  curse,  it  is  in- 
tended, that  they  are  already  condemned  to  all   this  by  the 
law  of  God,  and  are  liable  to  have  the  curse  executed   in  its 
utmost  rigour,  i.  e.  to  be  struck  dead,  and  sent  to  hell,  at  any 
moment.  They  are  reprieved,  moment  by  moment,  by  the  so- 
vereign pleasure  of  their  Judge. 

That  Christless  sinners  are  thus  under  the  curse  of  the  law, 
is  evident,  not  only  from  the  tenour  of  the  law  itself,  but  also 
from  the  whole  course  of  the  divine  conduct.  For  accord- 


UNDER  THE  CURSE  OF  THE  LAW  OF  (SOD.  277' 

ijig  to  this  rule  God  hath  dealt  with  Christless  sinners  in  all 
iiges  of  the  world-  As  to  the  miseries  of  this  life,  he  inflicts 
them  upon  them  according  to  his  sovereign  pleasure.  As  to 
death  itself,  he  inflicts  it  just  when  he  pleases.  And  as  sooa 
as  the  Christless  sinner  is  dead,  in  an  instant  he  is  in  hell, 
and  must  endure  the  pains  of  hell  for  ever.  .Therefore,  from, 
the  tenour  of  the  divine  law,  and  of  the  divine  conduct,  it  is 
evident,  that  God  is  at  liberty,  with  respect  to  them,  to  kill 
and  damn  any  Christless  sinner,  at  what  moment  he  pleases. 
And  therefore  he  is  not  bound  not  to  do  so.  And  therefore 
there  is  no  covenant  between  God  and  the  sinner  existing, 
obliging  God  to  bestow  any  favour  on  any  one  Christless  sin- 
ner now  in  the  world  :  but  he  may  strike  dead  and  send  to 
hell,  justly  and  without  breach  of  covenant,  any  Christless 
sinner  who  draws  the  breath  of  life.  Thus  in  this  sense,  im- 
penitent, self-righteous,  Christless  sinners,  are  under  the  curse  of 
the  lav. 

8.  And  this  is  true  of  self-righteous,  Christless  sinners, 
without  exception,  as  the  aposile  affirms,  As  many  as  are  of 
the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse.  Be  they  circumcis- 
ed Jews,  or  baptised  Gentiles  ;  or  be  they  both  circumcised 
and  baptised  too,  as  doubtless  many  were  in  the  churches  of 
Galatia,  to  whom  he  was  writing  ;  yet  neither  their  circumci- 
sion, nor  their  baptism,  at  all  altered  the  case.  For  the  circum- 
cised and  the  uncircumcised,  the  baptised,  and  the  unbaptis- 
ed,  are  all  equally  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  if  of  a  self- 
righteous  character.  For  they  reject  Christ,  and  so  can  have 
no  interest  in  him ;  as  by  divine  constitution  none  are  inter- 
ested in  him,  but  those  who  receive  him.  John  i.  12.  and 
iii.  Ib,  And  therefore,  they  must  stand  or  fall  by  mere  law. 
But  the  law  says,  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in 
all  things. 

The  law  doth  not  say,  'cursed  is  every  uncircumcised  Gen- 
tile ;'  nor  doth  the  law  say,  '  cursed  is  every  unbaptised  Pa- 
gan :'  but  thus  it  is  written, '  cursed  is  every  one  :'  be  he  Jew, 
or  Gentile ;  be  he  Christian,  or  Pagan  ;  be  he  circumcised, 
or  baptised,  or  neither  ;  if  he  be  selr- righteous,  and  Christless, 
he  is  cursed.  For  these  things  alter  not  the  case  at  all.  Rom. 
i'.  25.  28,  2f).  For  circumcision  rerily  prtfiteth,  ifthou  keep 


278-  IMPENITENT  CHR1STLESS  SINNEKS, 

the  law ;  but  ift/iou  be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision 
is  made  uncircitmcision.  For  he  is  not  a  Jew  which  is  one  out- 
wardly,  neither  is  that  circumcision  which  is  outward  in  the 
ficsh  :  but  he  is  a  Jew  which  is  one  inwardly  :  and  circumci- 
sion is  that  of  tht  heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter, 
whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God.  Therefore,  baptised 
sinners,  if  they  are  Christless,  are  as  much  under  the  curse  of 
the  law,  as  those  who  are  unbaptised  :  and  so,  are  as  liable  to 
'all  the  miseries  of  this  life,  to  death  itself,  and  to  the  pains  of 
hell  for  ever.'  And  God  is  as  much  at  liberty  to  strike  dead 
and  send  to  hell,  at  any  moment,  self-righteous,  Clnistless 
sinners  who  are  baptised,  as  those  who  are  unbaptised.  He 
is  not  bound  by  covenant  to  the  one,  any  more  than  to  the 
other.  But,  as  to  life,  and  to  the  outward  means  of  salvation 
and  to  the  strivings  of  the  spirit,  he  is  at  perfect  liberty  to 
hate  mercy  on  zvhom  he  will  have  mercy.  This  is  certain  from 
the  whole  tenonr  of  the  divine  conduct.  For  we  all  know,  that 
baptised  sinners  are  as  liable  to  sudden  death  as  the  unbaptis- 
ed. And  when  they  die,  there  is  an  end  to  all  the  outward 
means  of  salvation,  and  inward  strivings  of  "the  Spirit,  and 
nothing  before  them  but  the  pains  of  hell  for  ever.  So  that 
there  is  no  covenant  between  God  and  them  in  the  way  ; 
there  is  nothing  of  this  kind  to  hinder ;  but  God  is  at  perfect 
liberty  to  execute  the  curse  of  the  law,  on  any  Chrisiiess  sin- 
ner, at  any  moment  he  pleases.  For  they  are  all  in  his  bands, 
held  up  over  hell  by  the  thread  of  their  lives,  justly  condemn- 
ed, at  his  sovereign  disposal.  And  accordingly,  he  lets  one 
drop  into  hell  now,  and  another  then,  just  as  he  pleases,  from 
day  to  day,  from  hour  to  hour,  continually.  And  this  hath 
been  his  constant  course  of  conduct  in  all  ages  past.  And 
thus  every  Christless  sinner  is  under  the  curse  of  the  law. 
But  here  it  may  be  inquired,  for  what  crime,  or  crimes,  are 
they  thus,  by  the  law  of  God,  sentenced  to  eternal  wo?  To 
which  the  answer  is  plain.  "For, 

9.  This  curse,  self-righteous  Christless  sinners  are  sentenced 
unto  by  the  divine  law,  for  not  yielding  a  perfect  obedience 
to  it.  Continually,  every  day.  Cursed  is  every  one  that  con- 
tinneth  not  in  all  things.  So  that  the  law  of  perfection  is 
finding  on.  the  unregenerate,  Christless  sinner.  And  in  the 


UNDER    THE    CURSE  OF  THE   LAW  OF  GOD.  279 

judgment  of  him,  whose  judgment  is  always  according  to 
truth,  they  deserve  eternal  wo,  for  every  instance  of  defect, 
in  thought,  word,  or  deed  ;  in  matter  or  manner.     And  that 
whether  they  were  from  eternity  elected  to  salvation,  or  not; 
and  whether  Christ  died  with  an  absolute  design  to  save 
them,  or  not ;  and  whether  they  enjoy  the  strivings  of  God's 
spirit,  or  are  given  up   to   their  own   hearts'  lusts :  yea,  and 
whether  they  enjoy  the  benefit  of  a  written  revelation,  or  not. 
Horn.  i.  18 — 21.     For  tht  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  hea- 
ven against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men.     So 
that  even  the  heathen  are  without  excuse  ;  because  when  they 
knew  God,  only  by  the  light  of  nature  and  tradition,  they 
glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither  were  thankful.     Rom.  iii.  9- 
For  we  have   before  proved  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they 
are  all  under  sin.    ver.  19-     That  even/  mouth  mat/ be  stop- 
ped, and  ALL  THE  WOKLD  may  become  guilty  before  God. 
For  the  curse  extends  to  every  one,  to  every  Christless  sinner 
of  Adam's  race.     So  that  the  divine  law  is  binding  on  fallen 
man,  previous  to  the  consideration  of  the  grace  of  the  Gos- 
pel.    And  mankind  are  under  so  great  obligations  to  perfect 
obedience,  that  in  the  judgment  of  him,  who  is  over  all  God 
blessed  for  ever,  they  deserve  eternal  wo,  for  any  one  defect 
for  not  continuing  in  all  things.     For  such  is  the   infinite 
dignity  of  the  Deity,  such  his  infinite  worthiness  of  supreme 
love  and  universal  obedience,  in  being  what  he  is  in  himself, 
and  our  Creator,  that  on  these  original  grounds,  it  is  infinite- 
ly criminal  not  to  love  him  with  all  our  hearts,  and  obey 
him   in   every  thing.     Nor  doih  our  original   apostacy   ire 
Adam,  or  our  present  depravity,  or  our  guilt  and  exposedness 
to  eternal  destruction,  exempt  us  from  the  divine  law,  as  our 
rule  of  duty,  or  from  its  curse  for  every  transgression.     Nor 
is  God  obliged  in  justice  to  grant  us  any  relief:  for  this  law 
itself  is  the  rule  of  justice  ;  holy,just,  and  good.  Rom.  vii.  12. 
Thus  stands  the  matter  in  the  sacred  writings.     This  di- 
vinity how  new  soever  it  may  appear  to  those  who  never  be- 
fore attended  to  it,  was  taught  of  old  by  Moses,   Deut.  xxvii. 
and  afterwards  by  the  apostle  Paul,  Gal.  iii.  10.  or  rather  the 
God  of  Israel  is  the  true  author  of  this  system.     It  was  of 
<f>ld  revealed,  in  the  law  of  Moses  :  it  was  afterwards  honour 


280  IMPENITENT    CHRISTLESS  SINNERS, 

ed  with  the  highest  honours,  on  the  cross,  by  the  blood. of 
God's  own  Son.  And  it  was  considered  as  fundamental  in 
that  scheme  of  religion  which  the  apostles  preached  and 
wrote  under  divine  inspiration.  And  to  be  an  enemy  to  this 
law,  is  to  be  an  enemy  to  God  himself,  who  is  its  author,  and 
whose  image  it  bears ;  and  to  his  Son,  who  died  to  do  it  ho- 
nour. 

To  say  that  this  law  ceases  to  be  binding,  is  to  say,  that 
God  ceases  to  be  God,  or  that  we  cease  to  be  his  creatures. 
For  if  God  is  God,  and  we  are  his  creatures,  we  ought  to 
glorify  him  as  God,  and  pay  the  honour  to  him  that  crea- 
tures owe  to  their  Creator,  unless  he  has  done  something  to 
forfeit  our  love  and  obedience,  or  we  cease  to  be  moral  agents. 
But  to  say  that  the  supreme  Majesty  of  heaven  and  earth 
has  hurt  his  character,  by  any  part  of  his  conduct,  is  to  say, 
that  he  is  not  an  absolutely  perfect  Being :  which  is  the  same 
as  to  say  that  he  is  not  God.  ^or  can  we  throw  the  blame 
off  from  ourselves,  by  saying,  that  we  cease  to  be  moral 
Bgents,  without  casting  it  on  our  Maker.  For  either  he  is  to 
blame  for  continuing  this  law  in  force,  armed  with  its  curse  ; 
or  we  are  to  blame  for  breaking  this  law,  and  deserve  the 
threatened  wo.  And  to  say  that  it  is  not  in  force,  is  express- 
ly to  contradict  divine  revelation,  which  says,  Cursed  is  every 
one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  art  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them.  But, 

10.  For  God  in  his  holy  law  to  require  holiness,  and  no- 
thing but  holiness,  of  the  Christless  sinner,  and  curse  him  for 
the  least  defect,  is  inconsistent  with  requiring  of  him  something 
besides  holiness,  viz.  sin  ;  and  promising  by  covenant,  to  bless 
him  with  great  blessings,  on  condition  he  performs  the  sin- 
ful action  required.  For  this  is  to  bless,  and  to  curse  the 
same  man,  at  the  same  time,  for  the  same  action.  Those  very 
actions  of  the  Christless  sinner,  '  who  hath  no  righteousness 
but  his  own,  in  which  to  appear  before  God  ;  which  by  the 
law  he  is  under,  justly  deserve,  and  really  expose  him  to  pre- 
sent damnation  ;  cannot,  at  the  same  time,  qualify  him,  in 
the  sight  of  the  same  God,  (considered  as  searcher  of  hearts,) 
for  any  blessings  whatever.  For  that  which  merits  God's 
eternal  curse,  considered  in  itself,  cannot,  considered  in  itself. 


UNDER  THR  CURSE  Of  THE  LAW  OF  GOD.  £81 

qualify  for  God's  blessing  :  unless  that  which  is  in  itself  infi- 
nitely odious  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  a  meet  qualification  fora 
token  of  the  divine  favour.  Besides,  lie  who  is  by  divine 
constitution,  at  this  present  moment,  liable  to  be  struck  dead 
and  sent  to  hell,  without  time  to  breathe  one  breath  more,  for 
doing  as  he  does;  cannot  by  divine  constitution,  be  entitled 
to  any  one  blessing  by  those  doings ;  for  this  would  imply 
two  divine  constitutions,  in  their  own  nature  inconsistent, 
both  in  force  at  the  same  time,  the  one  cursing,  and  the  other 
blessing,  the  same  sinner,  at  the  same  time,  for  the  same  ac- 
tion. Which  is  the  same  thing,  as  to  suppose  a  thing  to  be, 
and  not  to  be,  in  the  same  sense,  at  the  same  time  :  which  is 
an  express  contradiction. 

Objection.  If  this  reasoning  is  just,  then  God  is  at  liberty 
to  kill  and  damn  all  the  ungodly  now  at  this  present  time 
before  the  elect  are  called  in ;  and  so  before  Christ  has  seen 
his  seed,  and  the  travail  of  his  soul.  And  so  God  was  at  li- 
berty to  have  killed  and  damned  every  unregenerate  sinner 
in  the  congregation  of  Israel,  while  in  Egypt ;  and  so  the  pro- 
mise to  Abraham,  that  at  the  end  of  430  years  his  seed  should 
be  brought  out  of  Egypt,  might  have  never  been  fulfilled. 
Or  he  might  have  killed  and  damned  every  unregenerate 
sinner,  in  any  period  afterwards ;  and  the  very  ancestors  of 
the  Messiah  himself  might  have  been  cut  off.  And  so  that 
great  promise  to  Abraham,  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  be  blessed,  might  have  never  been  accomplished. 

Answer.  Christ  Jesus  may  have  a  covenant  right  to  see 
his  seed)  and  the  travail  of  his  soul ;  and  yet  the  self-right- 
eous sinner  may  be  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  in  perfect  con- 
sistency. Both  these  are  Scripture  doctrines,  and  both  are 
perfectly  harmonious.  God  may  not  be  at  liberty,  with  re- 
spect to  Christ  Jesus,  to  kill  and  damn  every  unregenerate 
sinner  now  in  the  world  ;  because  this  would  be  inconsistent 
with  his  promise  to  him  :  but  yet,  with  respect  to  unregene- 
*ate  sinners  themselves,  God  is  at  liberty  ;  because  God  hath 
made  no  promise  to  unregenerate  sinners,  as  such,  by  which 
they  can  any  one  of  them  now  on  earth  claim  a  covenant 
right,  to  an  exemption  from  the  curs?  of  the  law,  pne  single 
moment. 

VOL.  JIT.  36 


282  IMPENITENT  CHR1STLESS  SINNERS, 

Agaitiy 

Abraham  might  have  a  covenant  right  to  a  posterity,  iu 
number  like  the  stars  and  like  the  sands,  because  God  promis- 
ed this  to  him  ;  and  so,  on  the  same  ground,  he  might  have 
a  covenant  right  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  to  all  the  bless- 
ings comprised  in  God's  covenant  with  him  ;  and  yet  such  of 
his  posterity  as  refused  to  walk  in  his  steps,  and  rejected  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  remained  under  the  curse  of  the  law, 
might  have  for  their  parts  no  covenant  right  to  any  one 
blessing  ;  hut  rather  he  exposed  to  all  the  curses  written  in. 
God's  book.  And  that  this  was  in  fact  the  case,  is  plain 
from  the  whole  tenom  of  Lev.  xxvi.  Deut.  xxvii.  and  xxviii. 

Now,  if  these  things  are  true,  then  it  will  follow, 

1.  That  Christless  sinners,  as  they  have  no  covenant  right 
to  any  good,  being  by  the  curse  of  the  law  already  sentenced 
to  all  ei'ii ;  so  all  the  sjood  which  they  do  receive  from  God, 
before  they  are  united  to  Christ  by  faith,  are,  as  to  them,  the 
fruits  of  the  mere  sovereign  grace  of  God,  which  he  is  at  liber- 
ty, with  respect  to  them,  to  continue  or  take  away  at  pleasure. 
Thus  it  is  as  to  life  and  all  the  comforts  of  liie.     And  thus  it 
is  as  to  all  the  outward  means  of  salvation,  and  the  inward 
strivings  of  the  spirit.     Every  Christless  sinner   being  under 
the  curse  of  the  divine  law,  God  is  at  full  liberty,  with  respect 
to  them,  to  strike  them  dead,  and  send  them  to  hell  at  any 
moment ;  and   so  put   an  eternal  end  to  all  the  good  which 
they  enjoy,  and  let  in  all  evil  upon  them  like  a  flood. — See 
this  sentiment  illustrated  at  large  through  the  20th  chap,   of 
Ezekiel.     And  if  this  is  true,  then, 

2.  The   carnal,  umegenerate,  Christless  Israelites,  under 
the  Mosaic  dispensation,  being  under  the  curse  of  their  law, 
agreeable  to  Dent,  xxvii.  20.  and  Gal.  iii.  10.  had,  considered 
as  ffuch,  no  covenant  right  to  one  blessing  of  the  Abrahamic 
covenant,  no,   not    so   much   as  to  draw    a  breath,  or   live 
one  moment    in  the  pronfised   land  where  all  the   peculiar 
hlessngs  of  that  dispensation  were  to  be  enjoyed  ;  but  God 
was  at  full  and  perfect  liberty,  with  respect  to  them,  to  strike 
them  dead,  and  send  them  to  hell  at  any  moment ;  and  so  for 
ever  separate  them  from  that  good  land,  and  from  all  the 
worldly  good  things  and  religious  advantages,  which  were 


WNDER  THE  CURSE  OF  THE   LAW  OF  GOD.  283 

there  to  be  enjoyed.  And  on  this  hypothesis,  and  on  this 
hypothesis  alone,,  can  the  divine  conduct  toward  that  people 
be  vindicated.  For  iu  fact  he  always  did  strike  dead  and 
send  to  hell  impenitent  sinners,  under  that  dispensat  o,,  at 
what  time  lie  pleased,  according  to  his  own  sovereign  plea- 
sure, just  as  he  haih  done  ever  since.  And  that  he  had  a 
right  so  to  do,  by  the  constitution  which  they  were  under, 
is  evident  from  Lev.  xxvi.  Deut.  xxvii.  and  xxviii.  and 
Ezek.  .xx. 

And  accordingly  we  may  observe,  that  by  the  divine  ap- 
pointment, the  whole  congregation  of  Israel  were  obliged  to 
acknowledge  this  as  soon  as  ever  they  entered  into  the  holy 
land,  in  a  most  public,  solemn,  and  affecting  manner,  saying, 
with  united  voices,  AMEN.  Deut.  xxvii.. 2 — 2f).  And  as  soon 
as  they  entered  into  the  holy  land  they  did  acknowledge  it, 
according  to  the  divine  appointment.  Josh.  viii.  30 — 35.  So 
that  while  in  an  impenitent,  unpardoned  state,  they  by  their 
own  acknowledgment  were  under  the  curse  of  their  law,  at 
the  sovereign  mercy  of  their  God.  And  thus  the  Mosaic  dis- 
pensation was  of  old  understood  ;  but  in  later  ages,  the  Pha- 
risees by  their  false  glosses  put  another  sense  upon  their 
whole  law,  justifying  themselves,  and  supporting  their  claims 
of  having  God  for  their  Father,  whereby  the  nation  were  pre- 
pared to  reject  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  Whereas,  had 
they  retained  the  ancient  meaning  of  their  law  like  a  school" 
master,  it  might  have  led  them  to  Christ.  As  this  view  of 
things,  if  agreeable  to  truth,  will  without  more  ado  settle  the 
present  controversy ;  so  it  is  worthy  of  a  particular  consi- 
deration. 

3.  No  unregenerate  ChrUtlcss  sinner  hath,  as  such,  any  right, 
in  entering  into  covenant,  to  promise  and  engage  '  to  obev  the 
whole  will  of  God  by  divine  assislance.'  Because  they  have 
no  title  to  *  the  divine  assistance,'  for  any  one  holy  act.  In- 
deed, it  is  their  duty  to  'obey  the  whole  will  of  God;'  and 
they  are  justly  liable,  in  the  judgment  of  him  whose  judg- 
ment is  according  to  truth,  to  the  curse  threatened,  if  they 
continue  not  in  all  things ;  and  that  on  the  loot  of  mere  law, 
which  promiseth  no  assistance  at  all  to  any  sinner.  And 
while  sinners  reject  Christ  and  the  grace  of  the  Gospel,  they 


284  IMPENITENT  CHR1STLESS  SINNERS, 

have  by  the  divine  constitution,  no  title  to  any  inward  assist- 
ance of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  all,  on  the  foot  of  the  covenant  of 
grace.  For  all  the  promises  of  God  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  yea, 
and  in  him  amen.  1  Cor.  i.  20.  But  as  to  those  who  are  out  of 
Christ,  they  are  ander  the  law ;  and  sin  hath  dominion  over 
them,  Rom.  vi.  14.  This  is  their  standing,  and  this  is  their 
true  and  real  state.  They  are  bound  to  perfect  obedience. 
They  are  considered  as  moral  agents.  They  are  held  to  be 
without  excuse.  Rom.  i.  11.  They  stand  guilty  before  God. 
Rom.  iii.  19.  They  reject  the  grace  of  the  Gospel.  Eternal 
death  is  threatened  for  eveiy  transgression,  by  the  divine  law.. 
Gal.  iii.  10.  And  the  Gospel  cloth  not  make  void,  but  establish 
the  law*  Rom.  iii.  31.  As  it  is  written,  he  that  believeth  not  is 
condemned  already,  and  tht  wrath  oj  God  abideth  on  him. 
John  iii.  18.  36.  And  so  every  impenitent,  Christ-rejecting 
sinner,  lies  at  the  sovereign  mercy  of  God  ;  as  it  is  written, 
Rom.  xi.  7-  The  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were 
blinded. 

Death  and  damnation  may  fill  them  wilh  terror,  and  beget 
reformations,  tears,  vows,  and  promises;  and  so,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  apostle,  they  may  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death. 
For  DEATH  coming  into  the  view  of  their  consciences,  begets 
all  the  religious  exercises  of  their  hearts,  and  is  the  father  of 
the  children  they  bring  forth.  And  this,  according  to  St. 
Paul,  is  the  state  of  all  those  who  are  married  to  the  lazv. 
For  sin  still  hath  dominion  over  them  while  tinder  the  law. 
But  when  once  they  are  married  unto  Christ,  they  become 
temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  so  now  they  bring  forth  fruit 
unto  God.  God  is  the  Father  of  all  the  holy  exercises  of 
their  hearts,  he  works  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  and  so  all 
Christian  graces  are  not  only  called,  but  in  reality  are  the. 
fruits  of  the  Spirit.  Law,  death,  and  hell,  will  not  beget  one 
holy  exercise  in  an  unregenerate  heart ;  rather  they  will  irri- 
tate the  corruption  of  the  e"arnal  mind.  Rom.  vii.  5.  8,  y. 
Hence  the  sinner  who,  while  ignorant  of  law,  death,  and  hell, 
hath  a  good  heart,  as  he  imagines;  when  these  come  into 
view  his  goodness  is  lost,  his  heart  grows  worse  ;  and  so  far 
as  he  can  discern,  he  grows  worse  and  worse,  until  all  his 
hope  of  acceptance  with  God,  on  the  foot  of  law,  languishes 


UNDER  THE  CURSE  OF  THE  LAW  OF  GOD.     285- 

and  dies.  So  that  the  law  which  was  ordained  unto  life,  and 
by  which  life  was  originally  to  be  obtained,  he  finds  to  be  un- 
to death  ;  as  it  is  written,  Rom.  vii.  8,  9.  Sin  taking  occasion 
by  the  commandment  raged  the  more,  wrought  in  me  all  man- 
ner of  concupiscence.  For  without  the  law  sin  was  dead.  For 
I  rcas  alive  without  the  law  once,  and  had  a  good  opinion  of 
myself:  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin  revived,  and  I 
died.  For  it  is  not  the  design  of  God  by  legal  conviction  ta 
make  the  heart  better,  or  so  much  as  to  excite  one  holy 
thought,  or  holy  desire  in  the  unregenerate  sinner ;  but  rather 
to  give  such  light  to  the  conscience,  as  that  all  those  thoughts 
and  desires  which  used  to  be  accounted  holy,  may  appear  to 
have  no  holiness  in  them,  but  to  be  of  a  nature  contrary 
thereunto :  to  the  end  that  the  sinner  who  is  in  fact  dead  in 
sin,  and  at  enmity  against  God,  may  come  to  know  the  truth  ; 
and  so  find  himself  condemned,  lost,  and  undone  by  the  very 
law  by  which  he  sought  and  expected  life.  Thus,  as  by  the 
covenant  of  works,  sinners  have  no  title  to  any  divine  assist- 
ance; so  while  unregenerate,  God  doth  in  fact  never  assist 
them  to  one  holy  act.  Nor  under  genuine  conviction  do 
they  seem  to  themselves  to  grow  better,  but  on  the  contrary 
to  grow  worse  and  worse,  until  they  find  themselves  perfectly 
destitute  of  every  good  thought,  and  of  every  good  desire,  and 
in  a  state  of  mind  '  wholly  opposite  to  all  good,  and  wholly 
inclined  to  all  evil/  in  the  language  of  our  confession  of 
faith  :  or  in  the  more  accurate  and  expressive  language  of 
Scripture,  until  they  find  themselves  dead  in  sin,  and  at  enmi- 
ty against  God ;  i.  e.  until  they  see  themselves  to  be  as  in 
fact  they  are,  and  as  in  fact  they  always  were  before  they 
saw  it.  But  to  see  themselves  dead  in  sin,  and  enemies  to 
God,  and  wholly  inexcusable,  and  altogether  criminal  in  be- 
ing so,  and  on  this  foot  justly  condemned,  is  what,  above  all 
things,  impenitent,  self-justifying  sinners  are  averse  unto. 
And  therefore  their  hearts,  instead  of  concurring  to  promote 
this  conviction,  do  resist  the  light,  and  twist  and  turn  every 
possible  way  to  evade  it :  and  often  even  rise  and  fight 
against  it,  with  horrid  blasphemous  thoughts.  And  it  is  sel- 
dom that  awakened  sinners  are  brought  to  a  thorough  con  vie- 


280  IMPENITENT  CHRISTLESS  SINNERS, 

tion  b.  More  generally  they  have  some  partial  conviction,, 
and  some  short  terrors,  and  then  false  humiliations,  and  then 
false  light  and  joy,  which  lasts  a  while,  and  then  all  their 'in- 
ward religion  is  at  an  end.  Or  else,  without  receiving  any 
comfort  true  or  false,  they  gradually  lose  their  convictions, 
and  go  to  sleep  again  as  secure  as  ever.  For  straight  is  the 
gait,  and  narrow  is  the  way  that  leads  to  life,  and  few  thtre  be 
that  find  it.  But  to  return, 

If  self-righteous,  Christless  sinners,  while  under  the  curse 
of  the  law,  have  no  title  to  divine  assistance  for  any  one  holy 
act ;  and  if,  as  was  before  proved,  the  divine  law  requires  ho- 
liness and  nothing  but  holiness;  then  they  have  no  warrant 
to  '  enter  into  covenant  to  obey  the  whole  will  of  God  by  di- 
vine assistance.'  It  is  true,  the  Gospel  offers  pardon  to  im- 
penitent, self-righteous  sinners,  for  not  continuing  in  all  things 
\vritteninthebookofthelawto  do  them:  but  impenitent, 
self-righteous  sinners,  plead  NOT  GUILTY,  in  manner  and 
form,  as  set  forth  in  the  divine  law  :  and  so  reject  the  pardon 
offered.  And  it  is  true,  the  Gospel  offers  the  sanctifying  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  impenitent,  self-righteous  sin- 
ners, to  enable  them  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is 
exhibited  in  his  law,  and  which  is  honoured  on  the  cross  of 
Christ ;  but  they  do  not  desire  to  love  it,  and  therefore  the 
assistance  offered  is  rejected.  Now  when  they  have  thus  re- 
jected the  only  assistance  which  God  ever  offered,  to  obey 
the  very  law  which  he  hath  given  to  be  the  rule  of  their  lives 
for  them,  under  these  circumstances,  '  to  enter  into  covenant 
to  obey  the  whole  will  of  God  by  divine  assistance,*  is  a  piece 
of  hypocrisy  suited  to  the  character  of  none,  but  such  as  are 
in  fact  totally  depraved ;'  and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  near, 
or  quite  totally  blind,  as  to  their  true  character  and  real  state. 

A  woman,  however  poor  and  low  in  the  world  before  mar- 
riage, and  however  insufficient  to  be  trusted  by  any  of  her 
neighbours ;  yet  no  sooner  is  she  married  to  a  rich  man  who 

b  f  It  is  not  enough  for  men  to  see  th«it  they  can  do  nothing  of  themselves. 
Men  may  say  that,  when  they  only  find  need  of  assistance,  and  not  of  the  infusion 
of  a  principle  of  grace  into  them."' 

Stodd(tr(fs  Safety,  p.  183.  Edit.  3. 


UNDER  THE  CURSE  OF  THE  LAW    OF    GOD.  88? 

loves  her,  and  whom  she  lakes  delight  to  obey  and  honour,  but 
with  his  approbation  she  may  trade  largely  at  any  merchant's 
shop  for  any  thin";  she  needs,  and  may  warrantably  promise, 
*  by  the  assistance  of  her  husband,'  to  make   good  pay  ;  nor 
will  the  merchant,  who  knows  her  husband's  riches,  and  his 
love  to  her,  and  his  approbation  of  her  conduct,  be  backward 
to  trust  her.     And  thus  it  is  with  the   poor  bankrupt  sinner, 
who  is  in  himself  not  sufficient  for  one  good  thought,  as  in  him 
there  dwelltth  no  good  thing,  as  soon  as  he  is  married  to 
Christ  Jesus,  in  whom  all  fulness  dwelleth,  and  of  whose  fulness 
he  receives,  and  grace  for  grace,  he  may  now  enter  into  cove- 
nant with  God,  and  \\  an  antably  promise,  '  by  the  assistance  of 
Christ  Jesus,'  to  love  God,  and  walk  in  all  his  ways  with  an 
upright  heart.     But  should  a  woman  of  an  adulterous  heart 
enter  into  covenant  with  a  man  of  honour  and  of  a  great  es- 
tate before  the  priest,  and  as  soon  as  the  ceremony  was  over, 
even  on  the  very  same  day,  leave  his  bed  and  board,  and  run 
oft,  and  prostitute  herself  to  her  forniei  gallants,  and  refuse  to 
return,  and  continue  to  refuse,  although  invited  thereto  by  her 
husband,  yea,  obstinately  refuse,  notwithstanding  repeated  in- 
vitations and  repealed  offers  of  pardon  and  forgiveness,  until 
he  being  justly  provoked  should  advertise  her  in  all  the  public 
papers,  and  forbid  all  to  trust  her  on  his    account,   for  that 
he  would  hold  himself  unobligtd  to  pay  any  of  her  debts,   or 
to  afford  her  '  any  assistance,'  until  her  perverse  heart  should 
be  humbled,  and  she  should  confess  tier  iniquity,  and  justify 
him  in  this  token  of  his  displeasure,  and  ask   forgiveness  for 
her  crimes,  and  return   to  her  duty   with  true  matrimonial 
affection  :  and  should  she,  on  seeing  what  her  husband  had 
done,  declare,  that '  to  love  such  a  husband  is  the  same  thing 
as  to  love  to  be  advertised  as  a  run-away  in  the  public  papers, 
which  is  to  love  disgrace  itself,  which  is  in  its  own  nature  im- 
possible, and  even  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  which  requires 
us  to  love  ourselves  ;  in  this  view,  therefore,  I  can  never  re- 
turn, nor  is  it  my  duty  to  return  ;  for  I  ought  to  have  a  re- 
gard to  my  own  reputation;   until,  therefore,  he  will  recall 
this  advertisement,  and  assume  a  different  character,  1  can  no 
more  love  him  than  I  can  love  my  own  misery ;'  and  ;in  this 
temper  should  she  go  on,  giving  her  heart  to  her  lovers,  and 


288  IMPENITENT  CHR1STLESS  SINNERS, 

making  herself  common  to  all  comers,  until,  being  overtaken 
with  extreme  poverty,  she  is  reduced  to  great  distress;  and 
then,  instead  of  returning  to  her  husband  and  humbling  her- 
self before  him,  as  in  duty  she  is  bound,  should  she  apply  to 
her  neighbours  for  relief,  and  put  on  a  bold  face,  and  pro- 
mise, by  the  '  assistance  of  her  husband'  to  make  good  pay — 
would  they  regard  her  words  ?  would  they  trust  her  on  his 
account  ?  Rather,  would  they  not  be  filled  with  indignation 
at  her  impudence,  and  be  ready  to  say,  'Woman,  first  of 
all  make  up  matters  with  your  husband,  before  you  presume 
l/o  be  trusted  on  his  account;  for  what  warrant  have  you,  in 
your  present  circumstances,  to  promise  to  make  good  pay, 
by  /ris  assistance,  to  which  you  have  no  title,  and  to  which 
you  know  you  have  no  title,  and  to  which  the  public  knows 
you  have  no  title,  bv  the  advertisement  in  the  public  papers? 
No,  no,  thou  wicked  woman,  thy  word  is  not  to  be  taken. 
Thou  art  not  worth  a  penny  in  the  world.  The  man  whom 
thou  callest  thy  husband,  thou  hast  run  away  from,  and  he 
declares  that  he  will  bold  himself  unobliged  to  pay  any  of 
thy  debts,  or  to  grant  thee  the  least  assistance.'  She  cries, 
she  laments  bitterly,  she  says, — f  I  desire  to  love  him,  I  wish 
I  could  love  him,  1  long  to  love  him,  I  try  to  love  him,  but  1 
cannot.  I  do  all  I  can  to  love  him,  but  it  is  above  my  pow- 
er. But  this  I  can  say,  that  I  am  willing  to  do  my  utmost, 
and  I  am  come  to  ajlxed  resolution  to  try  every  day  to  love 
him,  and  I  am  willing  to  bind  myself  by  the  most  solemn 
covenant  to  do  so.  And  more  than  this,  he  cannot  reason- 
ably require  at  my  hands,  in  my  present  circumstances.* 
Her  husband  happens  to  stand  at  the  door,  and  hears  all  the 
talk,  and  goes  ofT  in  high  indignation,  sayiug  to  himself, 
'What!  can  she  find  a  heart  to  love  her  gallants,  but  no 
heart  to  love  me !  am  I  so  vile  in  her  e}'es  !  is  it  such  an  im- 
possible task  to  love  such  an  one  as  I  am  !  is  this  more  than  she 
can  do !  is  this  more  than  I"can  justly  require  at  her  hands ! 
am  I  to  be  pacified  with  her  hypocritical  tears,  and  deceitful 
vows  !  and  an  unreasonable  man  to  demand  more  at  present ! 
shall  other  men  thus  have  her  whole  heart,  and  shall  I  bear 
this  contempt  at  her  hands  !  far  be  this  from  me.  1  will  as- 
sert my  proper  dignity  ;  that  woman  shall  no  longer  be  call- 


UNDER  THE  CURSE  OP  THE  LAW  OP  GOB. 

ed  my  wife;  I  will  get  a  bill ;  1  will  put  her  away   for  ever.' 
Common  sense  would  approve  and  justify  his  conduct. 

Thus  the  most  high  God,  whose  character  is  perfect  in 
beauty,  without  a  blemish,  might  justly  resolve,  with  respect 
to  every  impenitent,  self-righteous,  self-justifying  sinner. 
And  he  might  justly  strike  them  dead,  and  send  them  to  hell, 
in  a  moment.  For  every  plea  they  make  to  justify  them- 
selves, in  not  loving  God,  casts  the  blame  on  him ;  even 
every  argument  they  use  for  their  justification,  is  to  his  con- 
demnation. For  if  the  fault  is  not  in  them,  it  is  in  him.  If 
they  are  not  to  blame  for  not  loving  him,  it  is  because  he  is 
not  worthy  of  their  love.  For  if  God  is  in  himself,  and  in 
all  his  conduct,  absolutely  perfect,  even  perfect  in  beauty, 
without  a  blemish,  then  we  must  be  inexcusable,  and  wholly 
criminal  in  not  loving  him  with  all  our  hearts.  And  if  there 
is  the  least  blemish  in  the  divine  character,  or  in  any  part  of 
his  conduct,  then  he  is  not  an  absolutely  perfect  Being.  That 
is,  in  other  words,  he  is  not  God.  The  divinity  of  the  only 
true  and  living  God,  is  therefore  denied  in  every  self-justify- 
ing plea.  Which  is  a  crime  aggravated  beyond  expression. 
A  sinner,  therefore,  in  such  a  temper,  is  an  enemy  to  the  true 
God,  and  justifies  himself  in  it,  and  all  his  pretences  to  love 
and  obedience  are  hypocritical;  and  he  ought  to  be  told  it 
in  the  plainest  manner.  But  to  flatter  sinners  along  in  their 
self-justifying,  God-condemning  disposition,  how  much  so- 
ever it  may  please  them  at  present,  directly  tends  to  their 
eternal  ruin. — But  thus  much  is  certain  at  least,  that  they 
have  no  title  to  '  any  divine  assistance  ;'  and  so  have  no  war- 
rant to  make  promises  as  though  they  had.  Nor  is  their  pro- 
mise, in  this  view  of  it,  of  any  worth,  or  at  all  to  be  trusted. 

To  conclude, 

The  professed  design  of  Mr.  M.'s  first  book  was,  as  he  de- 
clares, (p.  58.)  to  prove  that  there  is  '  an  external  covenant 
between  God  and  his  visible  church,  as  such,  distinct  from, 
the  covenant  of  grace.  And  that  those  who  are  in  it,  (p. 
59.)  '  have  a  promise  of  the  means  of,  and  the  strivings  of 
God's  holy  Spirit,  in  order  to  render  them  effectual  for  salva- 
tion.' And  agreeably  hereunto,  he  has  in  this  second  book 
endeavoured  to  persuade  us,  that  impenitent,  self-righteous, 

VOL.  in.  37 


THE  NATURE  Qf  THE  ENMITY  OF 

Christless  signers,  (p.  65,  66.)  may  warrantably,  '  while  such, 
and  as  such,'  bind  themselves,  in  covenant  *  by  divine  assist- 
ance to  obey  the  whole  will  of  God.'  Whether  what  has 
been  offered  in  the  foregoing  sec-lion,  is  sufficient  to  prove 
that  this  external  covenant  is  not  from  heaven,  but  of  men, 
is  submitted  to  the  consideration  of  every  judicious  reader. — 
And  we  are  now  at  liberty  more  particularly  to  examine  the 
new  scheme  of  religion,  winch  he  has  advanced  in  order  Uj 
support  his  external  covenant,  which  is  to  be  the  principal 
business  of  must  of  the  following  sections. 


SECTION  VI. 

Rom.  viii.  7>  8.  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God: 
for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  oj  God,  neither  indeed  can  be. 
So  thtn  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God. 

Quest.  I.  Art  we,  as  fallen  creatures ,  at  enmity  against 
God,  merely  as  conceiving  God  to  be  our  enemy  ?  Or, 

Quest.  II.  Are  we  enemies  only  to  Jalse  and  mistaken 
ideas  of  God  ?  Or, 

Quest*  II I.  Is  the  carnal  mind  enmity  against  God's  true 
and  real  character,  and  that  notwithstanding  the  revelation 
which  God  has  made  of  his  readiness  to  be  revealed  to  us,  if 
we  repent  and  return  to  him  through  Jesus  Christ  ?  If  so, 

Quest.  IV.  ,  What  contrariety  is  there  between  the  carnal 
mind  and  God's  true  and  real  character? 

ACCORDING  to  our  author,  (p.  50.)  '  Adam,  after  the 
fall,  before  the  revelation  of  a  Mediator,'  uas  not  bound 
by  the  divine  law  to  love  God.  The  divine  law  bound 
him  to  '  punishment'  for  what  was  past;  but  '  its  bind- 
ing authority  respected  noU  his  obedience,'  for  the  tune 
to  come.  Few  Adam  by  the  fall  ceased  to  be  a  moral 
agent.  For  it  now  became  inconsistent  with  a  princi- 
ple essential  to  moral  agency,  to  love  God.  For,  (p.  5.) 
a  principle  of  self-love  is  essential  to  us  as  moral  agents.' — 
p.  10.)  '  t°  delight  in  God  under  those  circumstances* 


THE  CAHNAL  MIND  AGAINST  GOD.  2Q1 

was  the  same  thing  as  to  delight  in  his  own  misery  ;'  which 
is  inconsistent  with  that  self-love  which  is  essential  to  moral 
ngency.     Therefore,  (p    10 )    '  Adam   by  becoming  guilty, 
was  totally  depraved  ;'  being  totally  deprived  of  his  moral  agen- 
cy, and  whollv  incapacitated  for  moral  conduct.  His  depravity, 
however,  was  not  of  a  criminal  nature.  For,  (p.  12.) 'this  incon- 
sistency of  love  to  God,  with  the  natural  principle  of  self-love, 
was  the  true  reason,  and  the  only  reason,  why  Adam  could  not 
love  God  after  the  fall.'     For,  (p.  44  )  '  could  he  have  seen, 
after  he  had  sinned,  that  he  had  still  the  same,   or  as  much 
ground  of  confidence  toward   God  as   he   had    before,  he 
would  have  continued  still  to  exercise  the  same  delight  in  the 
divine  perfections,  as  he  had  done  before.'     So  that  he  was 
as  well  disposed  to  love  God  after  the  fall  as  he  was  before, 
had   he  been  in  as  good  external  ciicumstances.     His  differ- 
ent affections  were  entirely  owing  to  his  different  external 
circumstances.     For  God  was  his  friend  before  the  fall.     But 
now,  (p.  9.)  *  in  every  view  it  must  appear  to  him,  that  God 
could  deal   no  otherwise  with  him,  but  to  execute  the  curse, 
unless  he  should  act  contrary  to  his  own  perfections.'     And 
therefore,  as  soon  as  God's  readiness  to  forgive  sin  was  mani- 
fested, there  was  nothing  in  his  heart  to  prevent  his  loving 
God  as  much  as  ever.  And  so  it  is  with  us,  (p.  44.)   '  There 
is  all  the  reason  why  our  hearts  should  return  to  the  love  of 
God,  and  confidence  in  him  through  Christ,  as  why  Adam 
should  love  God  in  his  primitive  state.     There  is  nothing  in 
our  fallen  circumstances  to  prevent  it.'   (p.  47,  48.)    Without 
any  ntw  principle  of  grace      For  this  being  the  true  state  of 
things,  (p.  43.)    'regeneration  may   be  wrought  by  light.' 
For  as  soon  as  we  believe  God's  readiness  to  be  reconciled  to 
ns,  we  shall  love  him  of  course.     But  before  faith  and  regene- 
ration, we  are  in  the  same  state  of  total  depravity  that  Adam 
was  before  the  revelation  of  a  Mediator,  (p.  18.)    '  Man- 
kind at  this  day,  antecedent  to  their  exercising  faith  in  Christ, 
are  in  much   the  same  condition  as  Adam  was  after  he  had 
sinned.'  Particularly,  (p.  20.)'  we  are  under  the  same  inability 
of  loving  God  that  Adam  was.'     And  therefore,  as  it  waa  not 
Adam's  doty  to  love  God  after  the  fall  ;  so  the  nnregenerate 
are  not  bound  in  duty  to  love  that  character  ot  God  which 


THE  NATURE  OF  THE  ENMITY  Of 

was  exhibited  in  the  moral  law  given  to  Adam  ;  for  to  do  so 
is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  their  own  misery.     Which  to  do 
is   inconsistent  with  moral  agency,  and  '  contrary  to  the  law 
of  God,'  which  requires  us  to  love  ourselves,    (p.  41,  42,  43.) 
And  the  Gospel  does  not  require  us  to  love  that  character  of. 
God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  moral  law.  (p.  43.)     *  For  the 
love  of  God  which  the  Gospel  teacheth,  is  love  of  that  divine 
character  which  is  exhibited  to  us  in  a  Mediator,  and  n» 
other.'     But  this  character  the  unbeliever  hath  no  idea  of, 
and  so  cannot  love  it.  (p.  43.)     '  To  suppose  that  the  soul 
sees,  and  loves  this  character,  before  a  believing  view    of 
Christ  takes  place  in  the  heart,  is  to  suppose  the  soul  to  see 
and  not  to  see  at  the  same  time.'     And  as  we  are  not  moral 
agents  with  respect  to  law  or  Gospel,  while  unregenerate 
and  unenlightened,  nor  bound  in  duty  at  present  to  love  God, 
Relieve,  or  repent;  so  the  external  covenant,  which  requires 
unregenerate  endeavours,  and  promises  the  strivings  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  render  external  means  effectual  to  salvation,' 
comes  in  here  to  our  relief*    And  our  *  total  depravity,'  and 
our  '  enmity  against  God,'  not  being  of  a  criminal  nature,  are 
no  bar  in   the  way  of  our  admission  to  sealing  ordinances. 
And  therefore,  although  a  man  who  steals  but  a  shilling,  and 
justifies  himself  in  it,  must  be  debarred  ;  yet  he  who  is  totally 
depraved,  and  an  enemy  to  God,  and  justifies  himself  in  it, 
may  be  admitted.     This  is  the  sum  of  Mr.  M.'s  scheme.-— 
Now  that  we,  while  unregenerate,  are  moral  agents,    has 
been  already  proved.     And  the  nature  of  that  enmity  against 
God,  which  is  in  the  carnal  mind,  is  to  be  considered  in  this 
section,  which  may  be  done  in  answer  to  the  questions  propos- 
ed; and  then  the  way  will  be  prepared  to  consider  the  na- 
ture of  that  reconciliation  to  God,  to  which  the  Gospel  calls 
us,  which  is  to  be  the  subject  of  the  next  section.     Now, 
therefore,  let  us  attend  to  the  questions. 

Question  I.  Are  we,  as'/allen  creatures,  enemies  to  God, 
merely  as  conceiving  God  to  be  our  enemy  ?  .>V| 

Answer.  As  likeliness  of  nature  lays   the    foundation   for 
liking  ;  so  contrariety  of  nature  is  the  original  ground  of  dis- 
like ;  or  that  in  which  enmity  radically  consists0.  And  there- 
o  There  are  some  sinners  who  do  not  know  enough  about  God,  sensibly  to  lore 


THE  CARNAL  MIND  AGAINST  GOD.  205 

fore,  our  enmity  to  God  does  not  arise  merely  from  conceiv- 
ing God  to  be  our  enemy.  Here  let  these  things  be  con- 
sidered : 

1.  If  our  enmity  against  God  arises  merely  from  conceiv- 
ing him  to  be  our  enemy,  if  we  have  no  contrariety  of  heart 
to  God,  but  what  arises  merely  from  conceiving  that  he  dislikes 
us  ;  then  God's  dislike  to  us  must  have  taken  place  while  we 
were  perfectly  holy.    Or  our  belief  that  God  is  our  enemy,  is 
a  groundless  sentiment,  originally  injected  into  the  human 
mind  bv  the  devil,  the  father  of  lies,  as  Mr.  Sandeman  sup- 
poses ;  but  for  which,  we  should  naturally  love  God,  be  per- 
fectly pleased  with  his  character,  and  from  our  childhood 
grow  up  truly  friendly  to  him.     And  if  either  of  these  be  true, 
then, 

2.  In  order  to  our  reconciliation  to  God,  we  need  not  to 
We  born  again  ;  we  need  no  change  of  nature  ;  we  only  need  to 
believe  that  God  is  become  our  friend  :  and  so  we  may  be  re- 
conciled to  God  by  this  belief.     For  it  is  an  old  maxim,  re- 
move the  cause  and  the  effect  zeilt  cease.     And  in  this  view  the 
old  Antinomian  scheme,  relative  to  total  depravity  and  rege- 
neration, is  consistent.    This  faith,  therefore,  is  the  first  act. 
And  by  this  faith  we  are  regenerated  :  that  is,  a  belief  of  God's 

him  or  hate  him,  or  to  have  any  exercise  of  heart  relative  to  him.  God  is  not 
in  all  their  thoughts.  They  never  hated  him  in  their  lives,  they  will  tell  you  ; 
nor  did  they  ever  feel  any  love  to  him,  or  delight  in  him.  The  divine  charac- 
ter, as  yet,  never  came  near  enough  to  their  view  to  give  them  pleasure  or  pain. 
Thefooltaithinldtlieart,  t/iereis  no  God.  They  wonder,  therefore,  what  can 
be  meant  hy  the  apostle's  words,  Tlie  carnal  mind  it  enmity  against  God.  Sure- 
ly, say  they,  lie  does  not  mean,  that  every  natural  man  hates  God,  for  I  never 
hated  him  in  my  life.  For  let  our  sinful  nature  he  ever  so  contrary  to 
God's  holy  nature,  yet  the  contrariety  will  not  be  felt  until  the  true  and  real 
character  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  begins  to  come  into  clear  view.  For  -without 
the  lavi  sin  loas  dead .-  but  when  the  commandment  came,  tin  revived.  This  con- 
trariety which  is  between  our  sinful  nature  and  God's  holy  nature,  is  the  thing 
chiefly  intended  in  the  text.  And  the  sense  is,  "  The  carnal  mind  is  contrariety 
to  the  holy  nature  of  God,  as  appears  from  this,  that  it  is  not  subject  to  that  law, 
which  is  a  transcript  of  God's  moral  character,  neither  indeed  can  be,  which 
proves  the  contrariety  to  be  total,  and  fixed.  And  as  the  tree,  such  is  the  fruit ; 
so  then,  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God.  For  God  cannot  be  pleas- 
ed with  what  is  contrary  to  his  own  holy  nature.  And  therefore,  upon  the  whole, 
to  be  carnally  minded,  is  death."  Which  was  the  point  to  be  proved.  See  RohJ . 
viu,  6,  7,  8,  9. 


Jove  to  us,  removes  the  grounds  of  our  enmity  to  him,  and  be- 
gels  love,  repentance,  and  every  Christian  grace. 

Mr.  Sandeman's  scheme,  which  is  nothing  else  than  the 
old  Antinomian  scheme  refined,  and  dressed  up  in  a  new  attire, 
teaches,  that  the  truth  to  be  believed  in  justifying  faith,  is, 
'  that  there  is  forgiveness  with  God  through  the  atonement 
for  impenitent  sinners.'  A  belief  of  this  begets  hope,  and 
love,  and  repentance,  and  every  Christian  grace.  For  on  his 
scheme,  forgiveness  takes  place  before  repentance,  as  it  does 
necessarily  on  the  Antinomian  scheme,  whatever  shape 
it  assumes.  For  on  this  scheme,  as  our  enmity  against 
God  arises  from  conceiving  God  to  be  our  enemy  ;  so  our 
love  arises  from  conceiving  God  to  be  our  friend.  And  there- 
fore we  must  first  of  ail  conceive  God  to  be  our  friend,  before 
love  can  exist ;  and  so  before  repentance  can  exist.  And  so 
justification  must  necessarily  take  place  before  repentance. 
This  is  a  difficulty  which  neither  the  more  ancient  nor  the 
later  Antinomian  writers  know  how  to  get  rid  of. 

And  thus  faith,  oven  that  faith  by  which  we  are  justified, 
takes  place,  in  order  of  nature,  before  regeneration.    For  it  is 
the  cause  of  it.     But  the  cause,  in  order  of  nature,  is  always 
before  the  effect.    But  if  faith  takes  place  before  regeneration, 
it  is  in  its  own  nature   not  a  holy,  but  a  graceless,  unregene- 
rate  act.     For  it  is  ihe  act  of  a  graceless  un regenerate  heart. 
And  so  faith   is  not  'a  saving  grace,  but  a  saving  sin.     But 
can  we  be  married  to  a  hoty  Saviour  by  an  unholy  act e?     By 
an  act  in  its  own  nature,  perfectly  opposite  to  his  mediatorial 
character  ?    Can    we  receive  Christ  by  an  act  of  rejection  ? 
Can  we  be  united  to  Christ  by  an  act  of  disunion  '?    Can  we 
become  one  with  Christ  by  an  act  of  sin? — Perhaps  it  may  be 
thought  that  Mr.   Sandeman  gets  rid  of  this  difficulty,  by 
teaching  that  faith  is  not  an  act  ;  that  there  is  no  volition,  or 
exercise  of  heart  implied   in  it.     But  nothing  is  gained,  if, 
while  we  avoid  one  difficulty, "we  run  upon  another  as  great. 
For,  if  it  is  not  un  act ;  if  no  volition  or  exercise  of  heart  is 
implied  in  it,  then   we  are  married  to  Christ,  '  without  our 
consent;' just  as  Mr.  Mather  supposes  that  the  Israelites,  on 
the  plains  of  Moab,  were  taken  into  covenant,  '  without  their 
consent.'     But  this  is  inconsistent  with  the  very  notion  of 


1HE  CAKNAL  MIND   AOA1NST  GOD.  QQ5 

marriage;  which  is  a  transaction  which  implies  the  mutual 
consent  of  boih  parties.  And  therefore,  on  this  scheme,  the 
marriage  union,  as  it  takes  place  among  mankind,  couid  not 
be  used,  with  any  propriety,  to  represent  our  union  to  Christ 
by  faith.  For  if  the  soul  ia  married  to  Christ  at  all,  the  con- 
sent of  our  hearts  must  be  implied.  Or  to  use  Mr.  Stoddard's 
words,  (  when  the  soul  marries  to  Christ,  he  doth  it  with  a 
spirit  of  love  ;  this  act  of  faith  doth  include  all  other  graces. 
It  is  virtually  all  grace.'  Mature  of  conversion,  p.  ly — 24. 
See  Rom.  vii.  4.  2  Cor.  xi.  2.  Eph.  v.  19.  SO.  John  xvi. 
27.  But  can  we  be  married  to  Christ  by  an  act  of  sin  ?  But 
if  justifying  faith  is  the  act  of  an  unregenerate  heart,  dead  in 
sin,  totally  depraved,  then  it  is  an  act  oj  sin.  For  as  is  the 
tree,  such  is  the  fruit ;  as  is  the  fountain,  such  are  the  streams  ; 
as  is  the  heart,  such  are  its  acts.  Besides, 

If  justifying  faith  is  the  act  of  an  unregenerate  sinner,  then 
it  is  the  act  of  an  impenitent  sinner.  And  then  pardon  is,  in 
order  of  nature,  before  repentance.  And  so  it  is  not  neces- 
sary, that  we  repent  of  our  sins,  in  order  to  our  being  forgiv- 
en. Which  is  contrary  to  the  whole  tenour  of  Scripture,  and 
\o  the  plainest  and  most  express  declarations  of  Almighty 
God.  Pray  reader,  stop  a  minute,  take  your  bible,  and  turn 
to,  and  read,  Lev.  xxvi.  40,  41,  4£.  1  Kings  viii.  47 — 5O, 
Ps.  xxxii.  3,  4,  5.  Prov.  xxviii.  13.  Isai.  Iv.  7.  Jer.  iv.  4. 
Ezek.  xviii.  SO,  31,  32.  Luke  iii.  3.  and  v.  31,  32.  and  xiii. 
5.  and  xxiv.  47.  Acts  ii.  S7,  38.  and  iii.  19.  and  v.  31.  am! 
x.  21.  And  then  lay  your  hand  on  your  heart,  and  say, 
does  God  offer  to  pardon  impenitent  sinners  while  such  .* 
Did  the  Son  of  God  die  that  pardon  might  be  granted  to  im- 
penitent sinners,  as  such  ?  Or  can  God,  consistent  with  the 
Gospel,  forgive  the  impenitent,  while  such,  and  as  such,  any 
more  than  if  Christ  never  had  died?  If  any  doctrine  tends  to 
delude  sinners,  it  is  this,  that  they  may  expect  pardon  with- 
out repentance.  They  have  no  heart  to  repent ;  they  wish 
to  escape  punishment;  they  hope  they  shall  escape:  if  they 
can  believe  that  they  shall  escape,  it  will  give  them  joy. 
This  doctrine  is  suited  to  give  joy  to  an  impenitent  heart. 
But  to  teach  impejiitent  sinners,  that  they  may  expect  pardon, 
without  repentance  tovard  God,  is  as  contrary  to  5>ci  iptnrr. 


29$  THE   NATURE  OF  THE  ENMITY  OF 

as  it  is  to  teach  them,  that  they  expect  pardon  without  faith 
toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  doctrine  of  pardon  be- 
fore repentance,  had  been  taught ;  yea,  it  had  spread  far  and 
wide.  This  occasioned  the  assembly  of  divines  at  Westmin- 
ster expressly  to  assent  the  contrary.  Confession  of  faith, 
chap.  xv.  '  Repentance  is  of  such  necessity  to  all  sinners,  that 
none  may  expect  pardon  without  it.'  In  fine, 

If  the  first  act  of  justifying  faith  is  an  unregenerate,  grace- 
less, sinful  act,  so  are  all  succeeding  acts  of  the  same  faith. 
And  if  so,  then  to  lire  a  life  of  faith  on  the  Son  of  God,  as 
the  holy  apostle  Paul  says  he  did,  (Gal  ii.  20.)  is  to  live  a 
life  of  unregenerate,  graceless,  sinful  acts.  For  it  is  an  agreed 
point,  that  the  first  act,  and  the  succeeding  acts  of  justifying 
faith,  are  of  the  same  nature  and  kind.  And  so  a  life  of  faith  is 
a  life  of  sin  ;  a  course  of  unregenerate  graceless  acts.  And  this 
graceless  faith  will  bring  forth  selfish  graceless  fruits.  All  our 
love  and  joy  will  arise  merely  from  self-love;  in  a  beliefthatour 
sins  are  pardoned,  and  that  God  loves  us.  The  holiness,  jus- 
tice, and  goodness  of  the  divine  nature,  exhibited  in  that  law 
which  is  holy,  just,  and  good,  (Rom.  vii.  J2.)  which  Christ 
loved  and  honoured,  living  and  dying  ;  instead  of  appearing 
perfect  in  beauty,  without  a  blemish,  in  our  eyes,  can  never 
be  thought  of  with  pleasure.  We  never  can  say  with  David, 
O,  how  love  I  thy  law !  It  is  my  meditation  all  the  day.  Ps. 
cxix.  97.  In  a  word,  as  our  faith  is  of  the  Antinomian  kind  ; 
so  our  whole  hearts  will  be  all  over  Antinomian.  No  won- 
der, (  ninety-nine  in  a  hundred'  of  such  converts  are  in  the 
dark  about  their  good  estate;  and  feel  as  much  need  of  an 
external,  graceless  covenant,  as  though  they  never  had  been 
converted. 

A  late  writer,  in  order  to  prove,  'fide  nos  regenerari,  that 
we  are  regenerated  by  faith,'  quotes  Gal.  iii.  26\  Ye  are  all 
the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  But  this  text 
speaks  not  of  regeneration,  but  of  adoption.  Again  he  refers 
to  John  vi.  53.  Except  yt  tat  of  the  ftsh  of  the  Sou  of 
Man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you.  Just  as  if 
eating  and  drinking  were  acts  of  the  dead,  and  not  of  the 
living.  Just  as  if  the  dead  might  eat  and  drink  while  they 
are  dead,  and  by  so  doing  be  made  alive.  However,  tin* 


THE    CARNAL    MIND    ASAINST    GOI>.  297 

is  certain,  that  that  is  a  Head  corpse,  and  not  a  living  man, 
which  neither  eats  nor  drinks.  He  who  does  not  live  a  life 
of  faith  in  Christ,  is  dead  in  sin.  Yet  still  reptntance  toward 
God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jems  Christ,  are  acts  of 
spiritual  life,  and  not  of  spiritual  death. 

Howevpr,  it  is  granted  that  there  is  a  kind  of  faith  which 
may  be  exercised  by  a  graceless,  unregenerate,  impenitent 
sinner.  For  such  an  one,  although  he  rejects  Christ  Jesus 
with  his  whole  heart,  yet  he  may  firmly  believe  that  God 
Joves  him,  and  that  his  sins  are  forgiven,  and  be  ravished 
in  this  belief.  But  the  thing  believed  is  a  lie.  And  all  the 
affections  which  result  from  this  belief  are  founded  in  delu- 
sion. And  yet,  this  is  the  very  thing  which  is  sometimes 
culled  regeneration  by  faith,  and  beholding  the  glory  of  God 
i a  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  it  was  one  chief  design  of 
President  Edwards'  Treatise  concerning  Religious  Affections,  to 
show  the  difference  between  true  religion  and  this  kind  of 
delusion.  But  to  return  : 

3.  If  a  belief  that  God  is  become  our  friend,  without  any 
change  of  nature,  will  reconcile  us  to  God,  then  satan,  trans- 
formed into  an  angel  of  light,  is  able  to  do  the  business.    For 
when  the  sinner  is  terrified  with  the  thoughts  of  death  and 
hell,  satan  can  bring  to  his  mind  such  texts  as  these,  Son,  be 
of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.     O,  thou  of  little 
faith,  wherefore  dost  thou  doubt !     And  at  the  same  time 
strike  the  sinner's  imagination  with  a  view  of  heaven,  of  God 
upon  a  throne,  of  Christ  sitting  at  his  right  hand,  till  every 
doubt  is  banished,  and  until  the  sinner  cries  out  in  transport, 
/  believe,  I  believe. And, 

4.  If  our  enmity  against  God  arises  only  from  conceiving 
God  to  be  our  enemy,  then  all  those  graceless  deluded  sin- 
ners who  believe  that  God  loves  them,  are  truly  regenerate. 
That  is,  the  love  to  God,  which  they  experience  in  this  be- 
lief, is  true  love.     For,  as  the  cause  of  our  enmity  is  believing 
God  to  be  our  enemy  ;  so  in  every  instance  where  the  cause 
is  removed  the  effect  will  cease.     But  in  all  deluded  sinners, 
who  believe  that  God  loves  them,  the  supposed  cause  of  en- 
mity is  removed,  and  accordingly  they  really  think  that  they 
love  God.    Thus  gross  Socinians,  who  deny  the  eternity  pf 

VOL.  in.  38 


THE    NATURE    OF    THE    ENMITY    OF 

bell-torments,  who  believe  the  universal  salvation  of  devils 
and  damned,  and  in  this  belief  view  God  as  the  friend  of  the 
whole  intelligent  system,  all  made  up  of  love  to  his  creatures, 
do  in  this  view  of  his  character,  love  him,  and  so  are  all  of 
them,  on  this  scheme,  truly   reconciled   to  God.      Rather, 
these  men,  if  they  were  instructed  in  these  principles  from 
their  childhood,  and  believed   them,  were  never  totally  de- 
praved.    For  they  always  loved  God.     And  accordingly  we 
find  they  universally  deny  the  doctrine  of  total  depravity ; 
and  say,  that  it  is  natural  for  all  mankind  to  love  God  ;  and 
that  in  fact  they  all  would  love  him,  were  his  true  and  real 
character  brought  into  their  view.     And  so  would  the  devils 
too,  on  this  scheme,   were  the  divine  character  what  the 
Socinians  suppose  it  to  be.     And  while  Socinians  love  God, 
viewed  as  they  view  him  ;  Antinomians,  of  the  grossest  sort, 
whose  faith  professedly  consists  in  a  belief  that  God  loves 
them,  are  often  full  of  love  to  God,  in  this  view  of  him. 
And  why  may  not  Socinians  and  Antinomians  have  charity 
or  each  other?    For  their  schemes  are  not  so  different  in 
eality  as  in  appearance.      For  both  look  upon  God  as  a 
ovely  being ;  and  both  love  him  ;  and  both  profess  to  love 
bim,  '  for  the  transcendent  excellency  of  his  perfections.' 
The  one  does  this,  because  God  loves  all,  and  so  loves  him  ; 
the  other,  because,  although  God  does  not  love  all,  yet  he 
loves  him  in  particular.     And  why  is  not  the  love  of  the  one 
of  as  good  a  kind  as  the  love  of  the  other  ?  And  the  Phari- 
sees, concerning  whom  Christ  declared,  that  the  love  of  God 
was  not  in  them,  John  v.  42,    and  who  hated  and   crucified 
the  Son  of  God,  ought  also  to  be  received  to  charity,  on  this 
scheme ;  for  they  really  believed  that  God  was  their  father 
and  their  friend,  and  in  this  belief,  they  experienced  this 
kind  of  love,  of  which   we  are  speaking.     Yea,  our  charity 
ought  to  be  more  extensive  still  ;  for, 

5.  On  this  scheme  they'who  are  totally  depraved,  have  as 
much  of  a  principle  of  grace,  as  they  that  are  regenerate. — 
That  is,  sinners  are  at  heart  as  well  disposed  to  love  God,  be- 
fort  regeneration,  as  alter.  For  after  regeneration  they  are 
disposed  to  love  God,  only  considered  as  one  that  loves  them ; 
and  before  regeneration,  they  are  disposed  to  love  God,  con- 


TttE  CARNAL  MIN9  AGAlflST  GOft. 

sidered  and  viewed  in  this  light.  For  it  is  written,  sinners 
love  those  that  love  tltem;  and  tljgy  need  no  nezo  principle  of 
grace  to  incline  them  to  it.  And  so  the  unregenerate  only 
need  li^ht  to  see  that  God  loves  them  ;  and  could  they  but 
have  this  light  they  would  love  God  as  much  as  others. 

And,  therefore, 

6.  On  this  scheme,  satan's  charge  against  Job,  that  he 
was  at  heart  no  better  than  other  men,  was  true  and  just ; 
and  the  high  commendation  which  God  had  given  of  him, 
that  there  was  none  like  him  in  the  earth,  was  without  reason. 
"  And  the  Lord  said  unto  satan,  hast  thou  considered  my 
servant  Job,  that  there  is  none  like  him  in  the  earth,  a  per- 
fect and  an  upright  man,  one  that  feareth  God  and  esc  he  w- 
cth  evil  ?  Then  satan  answered  the  Lord,  and  said,  doth  Job 
fear  God  for  naught  ?  Hast  thou  not  made  an  hedge  about 
hi  in,  and  about  his  house,  and  about  all  that  he  hath  on  eve- 
ry side?  Thou  hast  blessed  the  work  of  his  hands,  and  his 
substance  is  increased  in  the  land."  As  if  he  had  said,  '  no 
wonder  he  loves  God,  while  God  is  so  full  of  love  and  kind- 
ness to  him.  And  who  is  there  under  the  like  circumstances, 
lhat  would  not  love  God  as  much  as  he  does  ?'  "  But  put 
forth  thine  hand  now,  and  touch  all  that  he  hath,  and  he 
will  curse  thee  to  thy  lace ;"  'just  as  we  fallen  spirits  have 
done,  ever  since  we  were  turned  out  of  heaven.  And  there- 
fore this  Job,  who  is  commended  as  a  none  such,  has  in  reali- 
ty no  more  grace  in  his  heart  than  we  have.'  And  if  the 
enmity  of  fallen  creatures  against  God  arises  only  from  con- 
ceiving him  to  be  their  enemy,  and  their  love  only  from  con- 
ceiving God  to  be  their  friend,  satan's  reasoning  was  jusl. 
All  Job's  seeming  superior  goodness  was  entirely  owing  to 
the  more  abundant  tokens  of  the  divine  love;  and  therefore 
he  would  have  turned  to  be  like  the  devil,  in  an  instant,  il 
God  had  only  touched  all  that  he  had.  He  would  have 
cursed  God  to  thejace. Indeed, 

7-  On  this  scheme,  Adam  had  no  more  grace  before  the 
fall  than  he  had  after;  but  his  different  affections  toward  the 
Deity  were  entirely  owing  to  the  different  external  circum- 
stances which  he  was  under.  For,  on  this  scheme,  before 
the  fall  God  loved  him,  and  so  he  loved  ^^  ;  and  after  the 


THE  NATUfeE  OF  THE   ENMITY  Of 

fall,  had  God  continued  to  love  him,  he  would  have  continu- 
ed to  love  God  also.  For  the  '  true  reason,  and  the  only  rea- 
son, why  Adam  could  not  love  God  after  the  fall,  was  be- 
cause, as  he  thought,  God  was  become  his  irreconcileable  ene- 
my. As  soon  as  he  found  out  his  mistake,  and  perceived 
that  God  was  ready  to  be  reconciled,  he  returned  to  the  love 
of  his  Maker,  without  any  c  new  principle  of  grace.'  Before 
the  fall,  that  principle  of  self-love,  which,  according  to  Mr. 
M.  was  '  essential  to  him  as  a  moral  agent'-^-'  naturally 
inclined  him  to  love  God  with  all  his  heart  as  his  greatest 
good.'  And  after  the  fall,  this  same  principle  did  as  natural- 
ly incline  him  to  hate  God  with  all  his  heart,  as  his  greatest 
evil.  p.  9.  His  love  and  his  hatred  arose  from  the  very 
same  principle.  And  his  different  affections  were  entirely 
owing  to  his  different  external  circumstances.  As  soon, 
therefore,  as  his  external  circumstances  were  altered,  and  God 
became  friendly  again,  he  immediately  returned  to  the  love  of 
God,  without  any  new  principle  of  grace  ;  *  there  was  no- 
thing in  his  fallen  circumstances  to  prevent  it/  (according  to 
Mr.  M.)  Adam  therefore,  on  this  scheme,  had  no  more  grace 
before  the  fall  than  after.  It  is  true,  the  fall  made  an  altera- 
tion in  his  external  circumstances,  which  different  external 
circumstances  occasioned  different  affections ;  even  as  it  was 
with  the  Israelites  at  the  Red  sea,  when  Pharaoh  andhispiosts 
were  drowned,  and  their  expectations  of  a  prosperous  journey 
to  the  land  of  Canaan  were  raised  very  high,  they  were  full 
of  love,  and  joy,  and  praise  :  but  three  days  after,  when  they 
came  to  the  waters  of  Marah,  they  murmured  :  and  that  from 
the  same  principle  from  which  they  before  rejoiced.  It  is 
true,  they  had  different  affections  toward  God  at  these  dif- 
ferent times  ;  but '  the  true  and  only  reason,'  was  their  dif- 
ferent external  circumstances,  for  they  had  no  more  grace 
at  the  one  time,  than  at  the  other.  And  thus  it  was  with 
Adam,  on  Mr.  M.'s  scheme.— Yea, 

8.  On  this  scheme,  there  is  no  essential  difference  between 
the  nature  of  satan,  and  the  nature  of  Gabriel ;  but  their  dif- 
ferent 'affections,  and  different  conduct,  arise  merely  from 
the  different  external  circumstances  which  they  are  in.  For 
there  is  no  higher  principle  than  self-love  in  either.  The  one 


THE  CARNAL  MIND  AGAINST  GOD.  301 

looks  on  God  as  an  enemy,  and  so  hates  him  merely  in  that 
view.  And  the  other  looks  upon  God  as  a  friend,  and  so 
loves  him  merely  in  that  view.  And  thus  their  natures  are 
exactly  alike,  and  their  different  affections  and  conduct  arise 
merely  from  the  different  external  circumstances  which  they 
are  under.  And  thus  satan  stands  justified  in  his  enmity 
against  God ;  and  thus  the  holy  angels  are  degraded  to  a 
level  with  devils.  For  satan  might  say,  '  to  love  God  in  my 
circumstances  would  be  to  love  my  own  misery  :  but  to  take 
delight  in  misery,  to  take  pleasure  in  pain,  is  a  contradic- 
tion ;  and  is  in  its  own  nature  impossible.  Therefore,  1  am  not 
to  blame.  And  as  to  the  angels,  who  dwell  in  heaven,  do 
they  fear  God  for  naught ,  in  the  paradise  above,  surround- 
ed with  every  blessing  ?  Far  from  it.  But  let  God  put  forth 
his  hand  now,  and  touch  all  that  they  have}  and  they  icill  curse 
liim  to  his  face,  just  as  we  do.' 

Thus  much  in  answer  to  the  first  question  :  and  to  prepare 
the  way  for  the  second,  we  may  observe,  that  Mr.  M.  says, 
speaking  of  Adam  after  the  fall,  (p.  9.)  '  In  every  view,  it 
must  appear  to  him  that  God  could  deal  no  otherwise  with 
him,  but  to  execute  the  curse,  unless  he  should  act  contrary 
to  his  divine  and  glorious  perfections.'  And,  p.  10.  'To  de- 
light in  God,  in  this  case,  was  the  same  thing  as  to  delight  in 
his  own  misery.'  And,  p.  1<2.  '  This  was  the  true  reason,  and 
the  only  reason,  why  Adam  could  not  love  God  after  the 
fall.'  But  Adam  soon  found  he  was  mistaken  ;  for  it  soon 
appeared  that  God  knew  how  to  open  a  way  to  pardon  sin- 
ners, *  consistent  with  his  divine  and  glorious  perfections.' — 
Therefore, 

Question  II.  Are  nr<y  as  fallen  crcaturts,  enemies  only  to 
false  and  mistaken  ideas  of  the  Deity? 

Answer.  If  we  are  enemies  only  to  false  and  mistaken  ideas 
of  the  Deity,  then  it  will  follow,  that  we  have  no  enmity 
against  God's  tTue  and  real  character,  even  none  at  all ;  but 
rather  are  in  a  disposition  to  love  it  as  soon  as  known.  Nor 
shall  we  need  any  inward  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  all, 
to  dispose  us  to  the  knowledge  of  it;  for  we  shall  not  be 
averse  to  the  knowledge  of  it,  as  not  being  at  all  prejudiced 
against  it.  In  thrs  case  we  shall  not  hate  the  light,  but  love 


302  THE    NATURE   OF    THE    ENMITY    Gl- 

and receive  it  with  all  our  hearts,  of  our  own  accord.  And 
therefore,  if  the  external  manifestations  of  God's  true  charac- 
ter are  sufficiently  clear,  we  shall  know  it,  and  we  shall  love  it. 
And,  on  this  hypothesis,  had  God  given  mankind,  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  an  external  exhibition  of  his  true 
character,  sufficiently  full  and  plain,  all  mankind  would  have 
known  and  loved  him  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  So 
that  the  great  and  general  depravity  of  mankind,  and  the 
wickedness  which  hath  overspread  the  earth,  in  all  ages,  have 
been  entirely  owing  to  God's  not  giving  a  sufficient  external 
revelation  of  his  true  and  real  character  to  the  children  of 
men.  But  they  are  not  to  blame  for  this.  If  there  be  any 
blame  at  all,  it  lies  at  his  door,  who  hath  neglected  to  let  his 
true  and  real  character  be  known.  For  had  he  but  revealed 
it  to  mankind,  they  having  no  prejudice  against  it,  bat  being 
naturally  disposed  to  love  it,  would  of  course  have  attended 
to  the  revelation  with  good  and  honest  hearts,  and  would  have 
understood  it,  and  have  brought  forth  fruit  accordingly. — 
How  to  justify  the  divine  conduct,  in  this  view  of  things,  I  do 
not  know.  Nor  can  I  tell  how  to  justify  the  conduct  of  Mo- 
ses and  the  prophets,  of  Christ  Jesus  and  his  apostles,  who 
were  commissioned  to  reveal  God's  true  character  to  men,  in 
suffering  both  God,  and  themselves  for  his  sate,  to  be  hated, 
when  things,  if  this  scheme  is  true,  were  so  circumstanced, 
that  if  they  had  but  plainly  told  the  truth,  all  would  have  un- 
derstood it,  believed  it,  loved  and  obeyed  it;  and  they  would 
have  been  the  most  universally  beloved  of  any  persons  in  the 
world.  If  mankind,  with  respect  to  God's  true  and  real 
character,  stand  affected  as  Mr.  Sandeman  represents,  even 
as  the  inhabitants  of  an  island  perishing  with  hunger  do, 
with  respect  to  a  large  importation  of  corn,  the  news  of 
which  would  spread  like  lightning  from  end  to  end  of  the  isl- 
and, and  give  hope  and  joy  to  all  the  inhabitants  at  once, 
then  had  Jesus  of  Nazareth  and  his  apostles  plainly  revealed 
the  Father's  character  to  mankind,  the  news  would  have 
spread  over  the  earth,  and  would  have  filled  the  world  with 
joy  ;  and  these  bringers  of  good  tidings  had  been  the  delight 
of  all  nations.  Why  then  did  they  suffer  themselves  to  be 
hated,  persecuted,  murdered,  for  nothing  !  Yea,  for  worse 


TUB  CARNAL  MIND  AGAINST  COD.  303 

than  nothing !  even  for  secreting  the  true  and  real  character 
of  God,  which  they  were  sent  expressly  to  reveal. 

To  say,  that  they  did  plainly  reveal  God's  true  and  real 
character,  hut  mankind  did  not  understand  them  right;  is  to 
say,  either  the  revelation  was  not  on  a  level  with  the  natural 
capacities  of  mankind,  and  so  was  not  plain  enough,  not  so 
plain  as  it  ought  to  have  been  to  answer  the  end  ;  and  so  these 
divine  teachers  were  blame-worthy  :  or  else  their  not  under- 
standing the  revelation  aright  must  be  owing  to  their  being  at 
enmity  against  God's  true  and  real  character,  which  was  reveal- 
ed. For  if  the  revelation  was  plain  enough,  and  if  they  had  no 
prejudice  to  blind  their  minds,  they  must  have  understood  it. 
Nothing  could  have  prevented  a  right  understanding  of  the 
revelation  but  bad  and  dishonest  hearts,  by  which  they  were  in- 
clined to  hate  the  light  and  truth  itself.  For  every  good  and 
honest  heart  would  have  understood  the  revelation,  believed 
and  loved  it,  and  brought  forth  fruit.  Lukeviii.  15.  We  there- 
fore proceed, 

Question  III.  Is  the  carnal  mind  enmity  against  God's  true 
and  real  character  ;  and  that  notwithstanding  the  plain  and 
most  express  revelation,  which  God  has  made  of  his  readiness  to 
be  reconciled  to  us,  if  we  repent  and  return  to  him  through  Je- 
sus Christ  ? 

Answer.  If  God  would  forgive  us  without  repentance,  we 
should  like  him.  As  in  this,  he  would  yield  us  every  point 
in  contest,  and  implicitly  take  the  whole  blame  to  him- 
self. Or  in  other  words,  if  God  would  give  up  his  law,  we  would 
give  up  our  enmity  against  him  ;  as  in  this  he  would  do  as  we 
would  have  him  do,  and  implicitly  become  altogether  such  an 
one  as  we  are.  Or,  which  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  if  God 
will  give  up  that  character  of  himself  exhibited  in  the  moral 
law,  and  allow  us  to  hate  it,  and  yet  love  us,  then  we  will  like 
him  ;  as  in  this  he  would  justify  us  in  our  wickedness.  But 
if  he  asserts  his  own  dignity,  abides  by  his  law,  and  vindicates 
the  honour  of  his  character  exhibited  in  it,  and  obliges  us 
from  the  heart  to  acknowledge  him  to  be  wholly  right,  and 
ourselves  to  be  wholly  wrong,  to  repent  and  take  the  whole 
blame  to  ourselves,  and  ask  forgiveness  as  of  mere  grace 
through  Jesus  Christ,  then  his  character  w:ll  not  suit  a  carnal 


304  THE  NATURE  OF  THE  ENMITY  OF 

mind.  In  a  word,  if  God  will  forgive  us  without  repentance, 
then  we  can  love  him  without  any  change  of  nature;  but 
otherwise  our  enmity  will  remain.  For  his  offering  pardon,  in 
the  name  of  Christ,  upon  repentance,  will  not  pacify  the  heart 
of  an  impenitent,  self-justifying  sinner,  and  induce  him  to 
become  a  willing  and  obedient  subject  to  the  divine  govern- 
ment. 

Before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  the  fall  of  man  being 
foreseen,  God  had  contrived  a  method  in  which  he  might, 
consistently  with  his  perfections,  pardon  and  receive  to  fa- 
vour the  true  penitent.  And  no  sooner  had  man  fallen,  but 
he  revealed  his  designs  of  mercy  to  our  first  parents,  that  they 
might  inform  their  posterity  ;  and  instituted  sacrifices  as  a 
shadow  of  the  great  atonement.  So  that  all  mankind  were 
under  sufficient  external  advantages  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  to  have  known  that  God  is,  and  that  he  is  a  re<- 
wttrder  of  those  who  diligently  seek  him.  And  yet  soon  it 
came  to  pass,  not  only  that  Cain  slew  his  brother,  but  that  the 
whole  earth  zcas  filled  with  violence. 

After  the  flood,  mankind  in  a  body,  soon  cast  oil  the  true 
God,  and  idolatry  spread  over  the  face  of  the  earth.  For 
thtij  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge.  At  this 
time,  that  he  might  not  leave  himself  without  witness,  GocJ 
took  one  nation  and  set  them  up  as  a  beacon  on  a  hill,  in  the 
sight  of  all  the  nations ;  and  to  them,  in  the  sight  of  all  the 
world  around  them,  he  exhibited  his  true  and  real  character, 
and  laid  them  under  every  possible  obligation  to  love  him, 
and  to  walk  in  his  ways,  that  they  might  be  to  him  for  a  peo- 
ple, and  for  a  name,  and  for  a  praise,  and  for  a  glory,  in  the 
sight  of  all  the  nations  ;  that  they  might  yet  have  opportunity 
to  return  to  the  true  God  ;  but  the  nations  around  hated  the 
God  of  Israel,  and  even  the  Israelites  would  not  hear.  Jer. 
xiii.  10.  Yea,  the  Israelites  cast  off"  their  God,  whom  they  did 
not  like,  and  joined  with  the  heathen  around  them,  in  the 
worship  of  Baal,  Ashtaroth,  and  Dagon  gods,  whom  they  did 
like  ;  and  this  notwithstanding  God  himself  used  all  external 
means  that  were  proper,  and  the  most  wisely  adapted,  to  in- 
duce them  to  love  him,  and  to  walk  in  his  ways,  from  the  day- 
he  took  them  by  the  hand  to  lead  them  out  of  Egypt,  always 


THE  CARNAL  MIND  AGAINST  GOB.  305 

giving  them  the  highest  assurances  of  his  readiness  to  forgive 
all  past  offences,  and  in  the  highest  sense  to  be  a  God  to 
them,  if  they  would  walk  in  his  ways  indeed,  but  they  would 
not  hear.  So  that  after  the  experiments  of  many  ages,  and  a 
great  variety  of  means  contrived  and  used  by  infinite  wisdom, 
God  was  at  length  obliged  to  cast  them  off.  But  not  until  he 
had  tried  every  external  means,  which,  with  propriety,  could 
be  tried.  Not  until  he  could  say,  what  more  could  have  been 
done  to  my  vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done  in  it  ?  For  he  sent 
unto  them  all  his  servants  the  prophets,  rising  early  and  send- 
ing ;  and  they  stoned  one,  and  killed  another.  At  last  he 
sent  to  them  his  only  Son,  and  they  slew  him.  And  in  them 
we  have  exhibited  a  true  specimen  of  human  nature,  in  its 
present  fallen  state  d. 

Since  the  Jews  have  been  cast  off,  God  has  sent  the  Gos- 
pel to  the  Gentiles,  and  for  seventeen  hundred  years  has  been 
making  experiments  on  them,  as  of  old  he  did  on  the  Jews  : 
and  such  has  been  their  opposition  to  God  and  Christ  and 
Christianity  in  all  ages,  that  agreeable  to  revelation  made  to 
John  in  the  Isle  of  Patmos,  the  true  Church  of  Christ  hath 
been  in  circumstances,  either  like  "  a  woman  in  travail,  with 
a  great  red  dragon  before  her,  ready  to  devour  her  child  as 
soon  as  born ;  or  like  a  woman  obliged  to  flee,  as  upon  eagles' 
wings,  into  a  wilderness  to  hide  herself  from  the  face  of  the 
dragon,"  Rev.  xii. ;  or  like  two  witnesses  prophesying  in  sack- 
cloth, who  are  killed  from  age  to  age,  for  the  testimony  they 
bear  to  God  and  the  truth,  and  in  whose  sufferings  they  that 
dwell  upon  the  earth  rejoice,  Rev.  xi.  And  now  after  a  course 
of  the  most  obstinate  rebellion,  for  almost  six  thousand  years, 

4  *  At  face  aniwereth  to  face  in  -water,  so  doth  the  heart  of  m*n  to  man.— If 
they  were  in  Cain's  circumstances,  and  God  should  suffer  them,  they  would  do 
M  he  did.  If  they  were  in  Pharaoh's  circumstances,  and  left  of  God,  they  would 
be  as  cruel,  false,  and  hard-hearted,  as  he.  If  they  were  in  the  like  circumstan- 
oes  with  Doeg,  though  they  condemn  him  for  his  hypocrisy,  flattery,  and  cruelty, 
they  would  do  every  whit  as  bad  as  he.  If  they  were  in  like  circumstances  as  Ju- 
das was,  whatever  indignation  they  have  against  him,  they  would  be  as  false  and 
impudent,  and  as  very  traitors  as  he.  Yea,  if  they  were  under  the  circumstance 
that  the  fallen  angels  are,  they  would  be  as  very  devils  as  they.— —That  original 
*in  that  reigns  in  every  natural  man  is  the  fountain  of  every  abomination.' 

Mr.  Stoddard.    Nature  »f  Cenvcriion.  p.  95,  9$ 

VOL.  in.  sy 

•  \ 


306         THE  NATURE  OF  THE  ENMITY  OF 

it  is  become  a  question  among  us  rebels  and  enemies,  whether 
we  are  at  enmity  against  God's  true  and  real  character,  or 
not !  After  we  have  cast  off  the  true  God,  and  set  up  false 
gods  all  over  the  earth  ;  after  we  have  stoned  the  messengers 
of  God,  and  killed  his  prophets,  and  murdered  his  Son  ;  and 
after  his  followers  have,  according  to  his  prediction,  been  ha- 
ted of  all  men  for  his  name's  sake  ;  even  now,  after  all  these 
exercises  and  fruits  of  enmity,  it  is  become  a  question,  whe- 
ther we  are,  or  ever  were,  properly  and  strictly  speaking,  en- 
emies to  God's  true  and  real  character  !  So  slow  of  heart 
are  we  to  understand  our  own  true  character  and  real  state. 
But  that  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God's  true  and 
real  character,  may  be  proved  by  these  arguments,  viz. 

1.  If  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  himself,  then 
the'carnal  mind  is  enmity'against  God's  true  and  real  character. 
But  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  himself:  as  is  as- 
serted bv  the  inspired  apostle.  For  he  says,  The  carnal  mind 
is  enmity  against  God.  But  to  be  enmity  against  false  and 
mistaken  notions  of  the  Deity,  is  not  to  be  enmity  against 
God.  For  to  hate  falsehood  is  not  to  hate  the  truth.  To 
hate  false  gods,  is  not  to  hate  the  true  God.  But  that  being 
whom  Paul  called  God,  was  the  true  God.  To  deny  this,  is 
to  give  up  the  whole  of  divine  revelation.  To  say,  that  Paul's 
God  was  not  the  true  God,  is  to  say  that  the  God  of  the  bible 
is  not  the  true  God. 

<2.  That  which  is  opposite  unto  a  true  and  real  transcript 
of  the  moral  character  of  God,  is  opposite  to  his  true  and 
real  character.  But  the  carnal  mind  is  opposite  unto  the  di- 
vine law,  which  is  a  true  and  real  transcript  of  the  moral  cha- 
racter of  God.  This  is  the  apostle's  argument.  For  in  order 
to  prove  that  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  he  says, 
for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  oj  God,  neither  indeed  can  be. 

3.  To  be  at  enmity  against  false  and  mistaken  notions  of 
God  is  no  sin,  and  deserves  tfo  punishment ;  but  rather  is  vir- 
tuous and  praise-worthy  :  for  even  God  himself  hates  all  false 
gods,  and  all  mistaken  notions  about  the  true  God.  But  if 
the  Scripture  account  of  things  be  true,  that  enmity  against 
God  and  Christ,  which  mankind  have  discovered,  is  the  most 
inexcusable  wickedness ;  for  it  is  spoken  of  by  our  blessed 


THE  CARNAL  MIND  AGAINST  60P.  307 

Saviour  as  such,  Mat.  x.  16,  25.  and  chap,  xxiii.  29 — 36. 
John  xv.  '22 — 25.  And,  as  such,  it  deserves  the  wrath  of 
God.  Luke  xix.  27.  But  those  mine  enemies,  which  would 
not  that  I  should  reign  over  thtrn,  bring  hither  and  slay  them 
before  me.  Besides,  had  not  the  Pharisees  been  at  enmity 
against  the  true  and  real  character  or' God,  and  of  his  Son,  and 
inexcusably  to  blame  on  that  account,  those  words  of  Christ  to 
them  had  been  very  abusive,  Mat.  xx.  33.  Ye  serpents,  ye  gen- 
eration oj  vipers,  how  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell  V  But 
if  they  were  as  venomous  as  serpents,  and  as  spiteful  as  vipers 
toward  the  true  God  and  his  Son,  the  damnation  of  hell  was 
good  enough  for  them. 

Remark  I.  If  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  only  against  mis- 
taken ideas  of  God,  but  disposed  to  love  God's  true  and  real 
character,  as  soon  as  known,  then  nothing  more  is  needful  to 
bring  us  to  love  God  perfectly,  even  with  all  our  hearts,  than 
a  right  speculative  idea  of  him,  commonly  called  doctrinal 
knowledge,  or  head  knowledge.  For  if  we  are  naturally  dis- 
posed to  love  God's  true  character,  then  as  soon  as  we  know 
it,  we  shall  love  it,  just  as  Jacob  loved  Rachel,  the  first  time 
lie  saw  her.  And  our  love  will,  on  this  hypothesis,  increase 
in  exact  proportion  to  our  doctrinal  knowledge.  And  we 
shall  need  the  regenerating  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to 
give  us  an  heart  to  love  God,  no  more  than  Jacob  did,  to 
give  him  an  heart  to  love  Rachel.  An  external  revelation  of 
God's  true  character,  sufficiently  clear  and  plain,  is  all  that 
will  be  needful  to  beget  perfect  love  to  God  in  our  hearts. 
And  then  we  may  be  regenerated,  and  perfectly  sanctified  by 
light,  without  any  internal  influences  of  the  spirit  of  God  at 
all.  And  this  is  what  Pelagians  and  Socinians  really  mean. 
Rem.  2.  If  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  onlv 
as  conceiving  him  to  be  our  enemy,  as  one  who  will  damn 
us  ;  then  a  belief  that  he  is  our  friend,  and  will  save  us,  will 
cause  our  enmity  to  cease,  and  beget  love,  without  any 
change  of  nature  in  us.  And  then  again,  we  may  be  regene- 
rated by  light.  And  this  is  what  Antinomians  really  mean. 
And  were  there  any  evidence  jfrom  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason, 
of  the  fact  to  be  believed,  no  spirit  would  be  needed  in  this 
case.  But  because  there  is  no  evidence,  Jrom  Scripture,  sense, 


308  THE    NATURE    OF    THE    ENMITY   OF 

or  reason,  as  the  celebrated  Mr.  Marshall  honestly  own*, 
therefore  some  spirit  is  needed.  But  not  the  spirit  of  God. 
For  it  is  not  the  office  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  enable  us  to 
believe  that  to  be  true,  which  zvas  not  true  before  nut.  believed 
it.  But  God  is  not  our  reconciled  friend  while  out  of  Christ. 
Nor  does  pardon  ever  take  place  before  repentance.  When 
the  unregenerate  impenitent  sinner  has  it  discovered  to  him 
that  God  loves  him,  and  is  reconciled  to  him,  the  thing  dis- 
covered is  a  lie ;  and  the  father  of  lies  is  the  author  of  the 
discovery.  But  of  this  heretofore,  in  A  blow  at  the  root  of 
the  refined  Antinomianism  of  the  present  age. 

Rem.  5.  If  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God's  true 
and  real  character,  as  exhibited  in  the  moral  law,  and  at 
honoured  with  the  highest  honours  on  the  cross  of  Christ,  not- 
withstanding the  fullest  and  plainest  declarations  of  God't 
readiness  to  be  reconciled  to  us  through  Christ,  if  we  repent 
and  return  to  God  through  him,  then  the  clearest  possible 
speculative  idea  of  this  character  will  not  beget  love ;  the 
greatest  possible  degree  of  doctrinal  knowledge  will  not  ren- 
der God  amiable  in  our  eyes.  For  if  the  true  and  real  cha- 
racter of  God  itself  is  odious  to  a  carnal  heart,  the  idea  of  that 
character  will  excite,  not  love,  but  dislike :  if  the  true  and 
real  character  of  Jesus  was  odious  to  the  heart  of  a  Pharisee, 
the  idea  of  that  character  would  excite,  in  the  Pharisee's 
heart,  not  love,  but  dislike.  So  reason  teaches;  and  so  the 
fact  was.  They  have  both  seen  and  hated  both  me  and  my  Fa- 
ther. The  longer  Christ  lived,  the  more  he  preached,  the 
plainer  he  spake,  the  more  the  Pharisees  hated  him.  For 
bis  character  was  perfectly  opposite  to  theirs.  But  every 
impenitent,  self-righteous  sinner,  hath  the  heart  of  a  Pharisee. 
Therefore  Christ's  words  to  Nicodemus  are  equally  true  with 
respect  to  all  mankind  in  their  natural  state.  John  iii.  3. 
Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God. — For, 

Rem.  4.  Spiritual  life  is,  according  to  scripture,  com- 
municated by  God  to  the  dead  soul,  to  enable  it  to  see  and 
act  in  a  spiritual  manner.  For,  according  to  scripture,  we 
are  dead  in  sin ;  as  perfectly  dead,  as  the  body  of  Christ 
was  when  it  lay  in  the  grave.  And  the  same  power  which 


THE  CARNAL  MIND  AGAINST  COD.  809 

raised  that  from  the  dead,  doth  raise  us  from  spiritual  death. 
Eph.  i.  !<)•— 23.  and  ii.  1  — 10.     And  we  know,  that  a  dead 
corpse  must  be  restored  to  life,  in  order  of  nature,  before  it 
can  see  or  hear.     So  the  scripture  teaches  us,  that  spiritual 
life  is  necessary  to  enable  us  to  see  and  act  in  a  spiritual 
manner.     For  those  who  are  spiritually  dead,  are  spiritually 
blind*      They   cannot  discern,  they   cannot  know  spiritual 
things,  spiritually.     1   Cor.  ii.  14.     They  are  foolishness  to 
them,  and  a  stumbling-block.     1  Cor.  i.   18.23,24.     As  the 
veil  on  Moses' face  hid  the  glory  of  it  from  the  congregation 
of  Israel ;  (Exod.  xxxiv.  29 — 35.)  so  the  spiritual  glory  of 
God  and  the  things  of  God  are  hid  from  the  natural  man,  by 
&  veil  on  his  heart.     2  Cor.  iii.  13 — 18.     For  that  enmity  to 
divine  things,  in  which  spiritual  death   consists,  implies  spi- 
ritual blindness.     Rom.viii.  7.  Eph.  iv.   18.     For  an  idea  of 
the  glory  of  God  is  always  attended  with  love  to  God.    2  Cor. 
iii.  18.     Enmity  against  God,  therefore,  implies  that  we  are 
blind  to  his  glory  ,•  yea,  that  his  true  and  real  character,  in- 
gtead  of  appearing  glorious,  and  giving  pleasure  to  the  mincf, 
appears  odious,  and  excites  disagreeable  and  painful  sensa 
tions.     Rom.  i.  29.  John  xr.   1H — 25.     It  is  not  the  design 
of  the  Gospel  to  accommodate  the  divine  character  to  the 
taste  of  the  carnal  heart.     Rom.  iii.  31.    But  on  the  contra- 
ry, the  flesh   must  die;  it  must  be  put  to  death;  it  must  be 
crucified.     Gal.  v.  17 — 24.     And  a  new,  divine,  spiritual  life, 
must  be  communicated  to  the  soul,  to  enable  it  to  see  aad 
act  in  a  spiritual  manner.     For,  John  iii.  3.  5.  Except  a  man 
be  born  again  he  cannot  see,  nor  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
Cod.     He  must  be  born  again,  or  he  cannot  see  the  glory 
of  Christianity,  or  cordially  embrace  it.     A  man  may  be  rx 
Pharisee,  as  was  Nicodemus  ;  so  a  man  may  be  a  Socinian, 
a  Pelagian,  an  Arminian,  or  an  Antinomian,  without  regenera- 
tion :  but  no  man  can  be  a  Christian,  except  he  be  born  again. 
Experience  and  fact  confirm  the  truth.     For  when  Christ 
was  on  earth,  he  spake  as  never  man  spake  ;  and  yet  the  spi- 
ritual glory  of  Christianity  was  hid  from  their  eyes.     Mat.  xi. 
20 — 25.     For  although  he  came,  not  to  those  who  had  been 
bred  up  in  pagan  darkness,  but  to  his  own  people,  who  had 
received  their  education  under  Moses  and  the  prophets  ;  yet 


310  TFiE  NATURE  OF  THE   ENMITY  OP 

his  own  received  him  not.     Not  one  received  him,  not  one  be- 
lieved in  his  name,  but  such  as  were  born  of  God.     John  i. 
11,  12,  13.     So  that  it  was  indeed  a  universal  maxim  among 
the  apostolic  converts,  that  whosoever  believtth  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ,  (not  will  be,  butgegenetai,)  hath  been  born  of  God. 
1  John  v.  l.  For  this  word  in  this  tense,  ever  hath  this  signi- 
fication, in  the  writings  of  this  apostle,  as  every  man  or'  learn- 
ing may  see,  who  will  look  into  the  original.    See   I  John  ii. 
19.  and  iii.  9.  and  iv.  7-  and  v.  1.  4.   18.  and  John  viii.  41. 
and  ix.  32. — None  therefore,  but  those  to  whom  good  and 
honest  hearts  are  thus  given,  understand  the  word  and  bring 
forth  fruit.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,  11.  Luke  viii.    12 — 15.   But 
these  all  with  open  face,  (the  veil  being  taken  off,)  beholding 
as  in  a  glass  the  glori/  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same 
image    2  Cor.  iii.  13 — 18.  For  the  truth  being  spiritually  un- 
derstood, i.  e.  seen  in  its  glory,  is  cordially  believed.  2  Cor. 
iv.  3 — 6    And  the  truth  being  seen  in  its  glory  and  believed, 
produces  every  answerable  effect  in  heart  and  life.  John  xvii. 
17.  1  Cor.  iv.  15.    1  Pet.  i.  3.  S3.  Jam.  i.  18.    Thus  this  mat- 
ter is  represented  in  the  sacred  writings.     A  more  particular 
explanation  of  this  subject  may  be  seen,  Essay  on  the  Nature 
and  Glory  of  the  Gospel,  Sec.  xii.  The  nature  of  that  spiritual 
life  which    is   communicated   in   regeneration,   and   how  it 
opens  the  eyes  to  see  the  beauty  of  God's  moral  character,  is 
explained  with  great  accuracy,  by  that  great  philosopher  and 
eminent  divine,  president  Edwards,   in  his   Dissertation  on 
the  Nature  oj  True  Virtue,  p.  121,  122,  123,  124,  125. 

Question  IV.  What  contrariety  is  there  between  the  carnal 
mind,  and  God's  true  and  real  character  ? 

Answer.  Without  entering  largely  into  this  question,  on 
which  a  volume  might  be  written,  it  will  be  sufficient  for 
the  present  purpose,  only  to  say,  that  the  contrariety  between 
the  carnal  mind  and  God's  true  and  real  character,  is  the 
same  as  is  the  contrariety  between  sin  and  holiness.  For  the 
contrariety  between  God's  nature  and  ours  arises  merely  from 
this,  viz.  that  God's  nature  is  holy,  and  our  nature  is  sinful  e. 

e  But,  1.  Sin  is  as  contrary  to  holiness,  as  holiness  is  to  sin.  And  therefor* 
our  sinful  nature  is  as  contrary  to  God's  holy  nature,  as  God's  holy  nature  is  to 
»uv  sinful  nature.  And,  2.  Oar  contrariety  to  G»d  is  as  universal  »t  is  our  sinful- 


THE  CARNAL  MIND  AGAINST  GOD.  311 

And  that  this  is  the  truth,  is  evident  from  this,  that  originally 
God's  nature  and  the  nature  of  man  were  alike.  As  it  is 
written,, Gen.  i.  26.  And  God  said,  let  us  make  man  in  our 
image,  after  our  likentss.  Ver.  27-  So  God  created  man  in 
his  ozcn  image.  And  therefore  there  was  no  contrariety  be- 
tween the  holy  nature  of  God  and  the  nature  of  man,  origi- 
nally. When  man  began  to  exist,  he  viewed  things  as  God 
did,  and  was  affected  accordingly.  And  as  God  loved  his 
own  character  exhibited  in  that  law  which  he  gave  to  Adam  ; 
so  Adam  loved  it  too.  There  was  then  no  principle  of  enmi- 
ty against  God  in  his  heart ;  no  disposition  to  dislike  the 
strictness  of  the  law,  or  the  severity  of  the  penalty,  upon  the 
most  mature  deliberation.  Yea,  he  was  perfectly  pleased 
with  both.  For  as  God  perfectly  loved  his  own  law ;  so 
Adam,  being  like  God,  created  in  his  image,  perfectly  loved 

ness.  If  we  are  totally  depraved,  our  contrariety  to  God  is  total.  3.  Contrarie- 
ty to  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  revealed  religion,  in  which  God's  moral  charac- 
ter is  exhibited,  is  contrariety  to  God's  moral  character.  Every  objection  against 
the  doctrines,  and  all  backwardness  to  the  duties  of  religion,  are  so  many  expres- 
sions of  contrariety  to  God's  true  and  real  character.  4.  If  the  true  God  and 
the  true  scheme  of  religion  suited  the  human  heart,  mankind  would  as  naturalb/ 
be  united  in  love  to  the  one  true  God,  and  to  the  one  true  scheme  of  religion,  as 
they  are  in  love  to  the  world  Had  mankind  liked  the  true  God,  they  never 
v-ould  have  set  up  a  false  God  ;  and  had  they  liked  the  true  scheme  of  religion, 
<hey  never  would  have  invented  a  false  one.  5.  Love  to  a  false  god,  and  to  a 
false  scheme  of  religion,  is  the  exercise  of  a  spirit  of  contrariety  to  the  true  God, 
and  to  the  true  religion.  6.  Love  to  God's  moral  character,  properly  expressed, 
was  the  only  thing  which  exposed  the  prophets,  JPSUS  Christ,  and  his  apostles,  to 
be  hated,  reviled,  and  murdered.  7.  Christ  on  the  cross  shows  that  the  enmity 
of  the  carnal  mind  against  God,  is  mortal  enmity.  8.  Tbe  Jews  expressed  and 
justified  their  enmity  against  Christ,  both  at  once,  by  calling  him  by  reproachful 
«ames.  John  viii.  48.  Say  ioe  not  well,  that  thou  art  a  Samaritan,  and  hast  a 
devil.  Meantime  saying,  (Mat.  23,  30.)  "  If  we  had  been  in  the  days  of 
our  fathers,  we  would  not  have  been  partakers  with  them  in  the  blood  of  the 
prophets."  So  while  they  hated  and  crucified  him,  who  was  foretold  by  all  the 
prophets  ;  they  thought  themselves  doing  God  good  service.  9.  They  knew  they 
hated  Jesus,  and  had  they  known  him  to  be  true  God,  their  contrariety  to  the 
true  God  would  have  been  ascertained  to  their  consciences.  10.  Let  God's  true 
and  real  character  be  agreed  upon,  and  we  shall  no  longer  differ  about  the  cha- 
racter of  man.  11.  God's  true  and  real  character  would  be  agreed  upon,  if  we 
did  not  hate  to  admit  the  truth.  12.  The  contrariety  of  our  sinful  nature  to 
God's  holy  nature,  is  the  source  of  all  the  heresies  in  the  world. — Men  love  to 
have  a  God  and  a  religion  to  suit  their  own  hearts. 


Si£        THE  NATURE  OP  THB  ENMITY  Of 

it  too.  So  that  there  was  originally  no  contrariety  to  God  iu 
Adam's  nature.  And  therefore  there  is  no  contrariety  now, 
in  man's  nature  to  God,  but  only  and  merely  so  far  as  man's 
nature  is  become  sinful.  For  as  before  sin  took  place  in  the 
human  heart,  there  was  no  contrariety  to  God  in  human  na- 
ture ;  so  now  there  is  no  one  thing  in  human  nature,  that  is 
contrary  to  God,  but  sin  ;  nor  is  there  any  root  of  bitterness, 
but  wickedness.  But  nothing  which  is  now,  or  which  origi- 
nally was  essential  to  moral  agency,  is  of  the  nature  of  sin. 
For  Adam  was  a  moral  agent  when  he  had  no  sin  ;  when  he 
was  in  the  image  of  God.  Besides,  if  something  essential  to 
moral  agency  were  sinful,  it  would  be  a  sin  to  be  a  moral 
agent.  There  is  therefore  in  the  essential  properties  of  a 
moral  agent,  no  contrariety  to  the  divine  nature.  For  there  is 
nothing  in  the  universe  that  is  contrary  to  the  holy  nature  of 
God,  but  sin.  And  whatsoever  is  contraiy  to  the  holy  nature 
of  God,  is  sin.  To  say  that  there  is  something  in  us  which 
is  opposite  to  the  holy  nature  of  God,  which  is  not  sin,  but  a 
duty;  is  to  say,  that  opposition  to  God  himself,  is  not  sin, 
but  a  duty.  And  if  opposition  to  the  holy  nature  of  God  is 
not  sinful,  there  is  no  sin.  For  if  it  is  no  sin  to  be  opposite 
to  the  holiness  of  God,  there  can  be  no  sin.  For  if  opposition 
to  the  holy  nature  of  God  is  lawful,  by  fair  construction,  God 
is  legally  dethroned,  his  law  is  vacated,  we  are  become  gods, 
too  big  to  be  under  any  government.  For  if  it  be  lawful  for 
us  to  oppose  God,  much  more  to  oppose  all  other  beings.  So 
that  to  say  that  opposition  to  the  holy  nature  of  God  is  not 
sinful,  is  itself  perfect  wickedness.  Yet,  according  to  Mr.  M. 
that  self-love  which  in  us  is  opposite  to  the  holiness  of  the 
divine  nature,  and  absolutely  inconsistent  with  the  love  of 
God,  is  not  sinful,  but  a  duty.  This  is  the  most  shocking  sen- 
timent in  his  book.  It  is,  in  effect  to  say,  that  it  is  our  duty 
to  be  at  enmity  against  God.— Besides, 

Adam  rebelled  against^his  Creator,  while  God  was  his 
friend  ;  prompted  not  by  despair,  but  in  a  belief  of  satan's  lies, 
Ye  shall  be  as  Godsy  ye  shall  not  surely  die  ;  he  took  and 
eat,  contrary  to  the  express  prohibition  of  his  Maker.  And 
we,  his  posterity,  for  near  six  thousand  years,  have  gone  on  in 
rebellion,  while  God  has  offered  to  be  our  friend  again.  And 


THE    CARNAL    MIND    AGAINST    GOD.  313 

his  inspired  prophets  have  been  abused,  and  his  Son  has  been 
crucified  in  this  our  world,  while  sent  to  invite  us  to  a  recon- 
ciliation, and  to  offer  us  a  pardon.  Thus  stands  the  tact  as 
recorded  in  the  sacred  writings.  And  thus  our  contrariety  to 
God  began  when  sin  began.  Nor  is  there  any  thing  in  our 
nature  contrary  to  the  holy  nature  of  God,  but  sin.  And  we 
began  to  be  sinners  while  God  was  our  friend.  And  we 
have  continued  in  our  rebellion  through  a  long  succession  of 
ages,  while  God  has  been  offering  pardon  all  the  time. 
Therefore, 

1.  The  carnal  mind  is  as  really  contrary  to  the  holy  nature 
of  God,  as  the  holy  nature  of  God  is  to  the  carnal  mind.  For 
sin  is  as  contrary  to  holiness,  as  holiness  is  to  sin.     And  yet 
God  is  willing  to  forgive  us  through  Christ ;  but  we  are  not 
willing  to  be  reconciled  to  him. 

And  therefore, 

2.  The  enmity  of  the  carnal  mind  against  God  is  entirely 
of  a  criminal  nature,  and  comprises  in  it  the  sum  of  all  wick- 
edness.    For  as  a  conformity  to  God's  holy  nature  is  the  sum, 
of  all  holiness ;  so  a  contrariety  to  God's  holy  nature  is  the 
sum  of  all  wickedness.     To  say  that  a  contrariety  to  the 
holy  nature  of  God  is  not  sinful,  is  in  effect,  to  say  that  there 
is  no  sin  on  earth,  or  in  hell.     And  indeed   Mr.   M.  gives  a 
broad  hint,  (p.  50.)  that  in  hell  there  is  no  sin  in  all  their  en- 
mity against  the  Deity.     And  if  his  scheme  is  true,  he  must 
be  right  in  this.     But  to  use  arguments  to  justify  ourselves 
in  our  enmity  against  God,  which  will  equally  justify  the 
devil,  is  to  carry  the  point  as  far  as  the  devil  himself  can  de- 
sire it  should   be  carried.     Nor  can  any  thing  better  please 
the  devil,  than  to  find  himself  justified  in  his  enmity  against 
God  and  his  Son,  by  the  professed  friends  of  both. 

3.  If  the  enmity  of  the  carnal  mind  against  God  is  entire- 
ly criminal,  and  the  sum  of  all  wickedness,  then  while  we  jus- 
tify ourselves  in  it,  we  are  disqualified  for  sealing  ordinan- 
ces by  it,  if  any  sin,  as  such,  can  disqualify  us.     For  to  say 
that  a  small  sin,  persisted  in,  disqualifies  for  sealing  ordinan- 
ces, and  yet  the  greatest  sin  does  not ;  to  say,  for  instance, 
that  stealing  one  shilling  from   our  neighbour,  considered 
merely  as  an  injury  done  to  him,  without  repentance,  disquali- 

VOL.  JIT.   '  40 


314         WHETHER    THE    «OSPEL    CALLS    FALLEN    MAN 

fies  for  sealing  ordinances,  and  that  yet  a  state  and  course  of 
enmity  against  God,  persisted  in,  does  not,  is  to  strain  at  a 
gnat,  and  to  swallow  a  camel. 

O  * 

4.  But  if  it  be  really  true,  as  Mr.  M.  says,  that '  to  love 
that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  moral  law, 
is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  our  own  misery  :'  and  if '  this  is 
the  true  reason,  and  the  only  reason'  we  do  not  love  God  ; 
then  our  enmity  against  God  is  not  in  the  least  degree  crimi- 
nal. And  so  it  doth  not  in  the  least  degree  disqualify  us  for 
'  sealing  ordinances ;'  especially,  if  we  are  heartily  disposed  to 
love  that  character  of  God  which  alone  it  is  our  duty  to  love, 
so  that,  without  fail,  we  shall  love  it  as  soon  as  we  know  it ; 
and  that  without  any  new  principle  of  grace.  Thus  the  ene- 
mies of  God  are  taught,  to  think  themselves  blameless  in. 
their  enmity  against  God  :  and  thus  they  are  emboldened  to 
approach  the  table  of  the"  Lord.  But  what  communion  can 
there  be  between  him,  who  loved  the  character  of  God  ex- 
hibited in  the  moral  law,  and  became  incarnate,  and  lived 
and  died  to  do  it  honour,  and  such  an  Antinomian  law-hat- 
ing heart !  Prov.  xxix.  27-  2  Cor.  vi.  14,  15. 


SECTION  VII. 

2  Cor.  v.  20.  We  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  recon- 
ciled to  God. 

Question.  Doth  the  Gospel  call  fallen  man  to  be  reconciled 
to  that  character  of  God,  which  fallen  man,  as  such,  is  at 
enmity  against ;  or,  only  to  be  reconciled  to  another  charac* 
ter  of  God,  which  fallen  man,  as  such,  is  not  at  enmity 
against,  but  is  naturally  disposed  to  love  as  soon  as  known  ? 

OUR  author  undertakes  to  prove,  (p.  40,  41,  42,  43.)  that 
it  is  not  the  duty  of  fallen  man  '  to  love  that  character  of  God 
which  is  exhibited  in  the  moral  law.'  But  that,  instead  of  its  be- 
ing a  duty,  it  is  a  sinful  thing  to  do  so  ;  as  it  is  '  inconsistent 
with  the.  character  of  God,  and  the  character  of  man  ;  con- 


TO    BE    RECONCILED    TO    GOD. 

trary  to  botli  law  and  Gospel ;  to  nature  and  grace.'  Because, 
'to  love  this  character,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  our  own 
misery/  And  he  also  undertakes  to  prove,  (p.  43,  44,  45, 
46,  47,  48.)  that  fallen  man,  as  such,  from  the  mere  principles 
of  nature,  is  disposed  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is 
exhibited  in  the  Gospel,  which  is  the  ONLY  character  the  Gos- 
pel teaches  its  to  love ;  so  that  we  shall  love  it,  as  soon  as 
known,  without  a  nezo  principle  of  grace.  And  therefore  the 
common  doctrine  of  the  necessity  of  a  '  new  principle  of 
grace'  is  wrong,  and  '  regeneration  is  wrought  by  light.' 

The  question  relative  to  this  scheme  of  religion,  which 
we  would  now  propose  to  examination,  is  this,  viz.  '  Doth 
the  Gospel  call  fallen  man  to  be  reconciled  to  that  character 
of  God,  which  fallen  man,  as  such,  is  at  enmity  against ;  or 
only  to  be  reconciled  to  another  character  of  God,  which 
fallen  man,  as  such,  is  not  at  enmity  against,  but  is  naturally 
disposed  to  love  as  soon  as  known  r' — We  will,  in  the  first 
place,  offer  some  arguments  to  prove,  that  the  Gospel  doth 
call  fallen  man  to  be  reconciled  to  that  character  of  God, 
which,  as  such,  he  is  at  enmity  against,  and  then  consider 
what  Mr.  M.  has  said  to  the  contrary. 

Argument  1.  The  Gospel  called  Adam^  immediately  after 
his  fall,  to  be  reconciled  to  that  very  character  of  God  against 
which  he  was  at  enmity,  or  it  called  him  to  no  reconciliation 
at  all.  For  to  say  that  the  Gospel  called  him  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  a  character  against  which  he  was  not  at  enmity,  im- 
plies a  contradiction.  For  it  supposes  a  thing  to  be,  and  not 
to  be,  at  the  same  time.  For  a  call  to  a  reconciliation  sup- 
poses enmity.  Therefore  the  Gospel  did  not  call  Adam  after 
his  fall  to  be  reconciled  to  God  at  all,  or  else  it  called  him  to 
be  reconciled  to  that  character  of  God  against  which  he  was 
at  enmity.  But,  to  say  that  the  Gospel  did  not  call  Adam  to 
be  reconciled  to  God  at  all,  supposes  that  God  was  willing  to 
be  reconciled  to  Adam,  but  did  not  desire  Adam  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  him.  For  if  the  Gospel  which  was  preached  to  Adam 
by  God  himself,  did  imply  no  call  to  Adam  to  be  reconciled 
to  God,  then  it  is  plain  God  did  not  desire  Adam  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  him  ;  for  he  did  not  call  him  to  it ;  he  did  not  invite 
him  to  it :  that  is,  he  did  not  desire  that  Adam  should  be  recon- 


516         WHETHER  THE  GOSPEL  CALLS  FALLEN  MAN 

ciled  to  that  character  of  himself  which  he  had  exhibited  iu 
his  law.  But  if  he  did  not  desire  him  to  be  reconciled  to  that 
character  of  himself  which  he  had  exhibited  in  his  law,  he 
was  willing  he  should  continue  to  hate  it.  But  if  God  was  will- 
ing that  Adam  should  continue  to  hate  that  character  of  him- 
self which  he  had  exhibited  in  his  law,  then  he  did  really 
hate  it  himself.  For  if  God  loved  it,  he  would  desire  Adam 
to  love  it ;  for  he  would  desire  Adam  to  be  like  him,  and 
after  his  image.  But  to  say  that  God  hated  that  character 
of  himself  which  he  had  exhibited  in  his  law,  supposes  an  es- 
sential change  in  God's  moral  character.  For  God  loved 
that  character  before  Adam  fell,  as  will  be  granted. 

Remark  1.  In  this  Mr.  M.'s  scheme  is  consistent  with  it- 
self, viz.  In  supposing  no  change  of  nature  necessary  to  be  in 
MS  in  order  to  our  reconciliation  to  God  ;  because  the  change 
of  nature  necessary  to  a  reconciliation  between  God  and  us, 
has  already  taken  place  on  God's  side.  His  nature  is  changed, 
and  so  there  is  no  need  that  ours  should  be  changed.  We 
only  need  to  know  the  change  which  has  taken  place  in 
God's  nature,  in  God's  moral  character,  and  all  will  be  well. 
The  breach  will  be  made  up,  friendship  will  commence  with- 
out  any  new  principle  oj  grace  in  us. 

Hem.  2.  In  this  also  the  Scripture  scheme  is  consistent 
with  itself,  viz.  In  supposing  a  change  of  nature  necessary  to 
take  place  on  our  part,  in  order  to  our  liking  the  divine  cha- 
racter. Because,  according  to  Scripture,  no  change  of  na- 
ture has,  or  ever  will  take  place  on  God's  side.  For  it  is  a 
Scripture  maxim,  that  contrary  natures  are  an  abomination  to 
each  other.  Prov.  xxix.  <27.  -An  unjust  man  is  abomination  to 
the  just ;  and  he  that  is  upright  in  the  icay  is  abomination  to 
the  wicked.  Therefore  contrary  natures  cannot  like  and  take 
pleasure  in  each  other.  2  Cor.  vi.  14,  15.  For  what  fellow- 
ship hath  righteousness  with  unrighteousness  ?  And  what  com- 
munion hath  light  with  darkness  V  And  what  concord  hath 
Christ  with  Belial'?  But  our  sinful  nature  is  contrary  to 
God's  holy  nature.  Rom.  viii.  1.  The  caral  mind  is  enmity 
against  God.  And  therefore  regeneration  is  necessary.  John 
iii.  3.  Except  a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom 
of  God.  And  a  new  nature  is  communicated  in  regeneration. 


TO  BE  RECONCILED  TO  GOD.  317 

John  iii.  6.  That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.  The 
old  nature  is  taken  away,  and  a  new  nature  is  given.  Ezek. 
xxxvi.  26.  A  new  heart  also  »i//  1  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit 
will  I  put  within  you,  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out 
ofyourfeih,  and  I  mil  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh.  And  this 
new  nature  lays  a  foundation  for  delight  in  God  and  in  his 
ways.  Ver.  27.  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you 
to  walk  in  my  statutes.  Psalm  Ixxiii.  25.  Whom  have  I  in 
heaven  but  thee  ?  And  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire 
besides  thee. 

Hem.  3.  There  are  two  kinds  of  delight  in  God,  which 
may  take  place  in  the  human  heart,  viz.  1.  Delight  in  a  mis- 
taken idea  of  God.  2.  Delight  in  God's  true  and  real  charac- 
ter. True  delight  is  delight  in  God's  true  and  real  charac- 
ter. And  false  delight,  is  delight  in  a  false  and  mista- 
ken idea  of  God.  Deists  and  Socinians  believe,  that  God 
designs  to  make  all  his  creatures  finally  happy :  this  is 
theii  idea  of  God.  And  they  delight  in  this  idea.  The 
impenitent,  law-haling  Antinomian,  believes,  that  God  de- 
signs to  make  him  finally  happy  :  this  is  his  idea  of  God  ;  and 
he  delights  in  this  idea.  The  Christian  believes,  that  God 
has  a  supreme  regard  to  the  Deity,  and  designs  to  assert  the 
dignity  of  the  divine  nature,  and  the  infinite  evil  of  sin,  in 
the  just  punishment  of  every  transgression,  without  exception 
in  the  criminal,  or  in  his  surety  :  and  so  to  maintain  the  honour 
of  his  law,  which  is  the  image  of  his  heart,  a  transcript  of  his 
moral  perfections  ;  and  to  pardon  none  but  penitent  believers ; 
and  to  grant  pardon  only  as  an  act  of  mere  pure  grace,  and 
only  through  the  atonement  of  Christ,  who  hath  borne  the 
curse  of  the  law,  died  the  just  for  the  unjust.  This  is  his 
idea  of  God.  And  he  delights  in  this  idea.  It  gives  him 
pleasure  to  see  God  exalted,  the  law  honoured,  sin  punished, 
the  sinner  humbled,  grace  glorified.  This  is  a  glorious  way 
of  saving  sinners.  Christ  crucified,  in  this  view,  ig  in  his 
eyes  the  wisdom  oj  God.  It  appears  to  be  wisdom,  truly  di- 
vine, to  be  at  such  infinite  expense,  to  do  honour  to  that  cha- 
racter of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  law.  For  that  cha- 
racter appears  to  be  truly  divine,  and  so  to  be  worthy  of  this 
infinite  honour.  It  is  wise  to  pay  infinite  honour  to  that 


318        WHETHER    THE    GOSPEL    CALLS    FALLEN    MAN 

which  is  infinitely  glorious.  But  it  is  foolish  to  render  honour 
to  that  which  is  odious,  and  dishonourable.  To  a  regenerate 
heart  Christ  crucified  is  therefore  the  wisdom  of  God,  but  to 
others  foolishness  and  a  stumbling-block.  1  Cor.  i.  18.  23, 
24.  and  ii.  14r  These  sentiments  are  explained  and  proved 
at  large,  in  my  Essay  on  the  nature  and  glory  nf  the  Gospel. 
And  this  is  what  Mr.  M.  misrepresents  and  cries  out  against, 
as  new  divinity,  p.  40,  41,  42. 

Rem.  4.  Every  uuregenerate  sinner,  be  his  doctrinal  know- 
ledge what  it  will,  is  in  the  temper  of  his  heart,  an  infidel. 
For  it  is  incredible,  that  infinite  honour  should  be  done  to  that 
which  appears  worthy  of  no  honour  at  all.  But  the  divine  law, 
and  the  divine  character  therein  exhibited,  to  a  carnal  heart, 
appear  worthy  of  no  honour  at  all.  For  they  appear  not 
amiable,  but  odious.  For,  Rom.  viii.  7-  The  carnal  mind  is 
enmity  agninst  God.  Therefore,  a  cordial  belief  of  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel  is  peculiar  to  the  regenerate.  1  John  v.  1. 
Whosoever  belieteth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God. 
Therefore, 

Rem.  5.  It  is  not  strange,  that  an  unregenerate  man,  when 
the  true  Gospel  of  Christ. is  explained  and  set  in  a  clear  light 
before  his  eyes,  should  cry  out, '  this  is  new  divinity  to  me.5 
For  it  may  truly  be  quite  new  to  him.  A  system  of  senti- 
ments he  never  believed  to  be  ttrue.  But  it  is  strange  that 
the  true  Gospel  of  Christ  should  appear  to  be  new  divinity 
to  an  old  saint.  But  it  is  ti  me  to  proceed  : 

Arg.  2.  God  the  Father  loves  that  character  of  himself, 
which  he  exhibited  to  Adam  in  his  law.  But  the  Gospel 
calls  us  to  be  like  God  ;  to  be  conformed  to  his  image  :  there- 
fore the  Gospel  calls  us  to  love  that  character  of  God  which 
is  exhibited  in  his  law.  That  God  the  Father  loves  that 
character  of  himself  which  he  exhibited  to  Adam  in  his  law, 
is  evident  from  this,  viz.  That  character  which  is  exhibited 
in  the  law  was  God's  true 'character;  as  Mr.  M.  grants,  p.  41. 
"The  divine  character  exhibited  in  the  moral  law,  was  that 
which  was  exhibited  to  Adam  in  his  state  of  innocency,  and 
it  was  God's  true  character."  Indeed,  it  was  God's  true  and 
real  character,  or  else  God  gave  himself  a  character  contrary 
to  truth  in  the  moral  law  :  which  none  will  dare  to  say.  But 


TO  BE  RECONCILED  TO  GOD.  31Q 

if  that  character  of  God  was  God's  true  and  real  character, 
then  it  will  follow,  that  God  loved  that  character  then.  For 
all  will  grant  that  God  loved  his  own  character.  But  if 
God  loved  that  character  then,  he  does  love  it  still,  unless  his 
nature  is  changed.  But  that  God  is  immutable,  the  same  yes- 
terday, to-day,  and  for  ever,  needs  no  proof  to  those  who  be- 
lieve the  bible.  But  if  God  still  loves  that  character  of  him- 
self, which  he  exhibited  in  his  law,  since  the  fall,  as  much  as 
he  did  before,  then  in  order  to  our  being  like  God  and  in  his 
image,  we  must  love  it  too.  For  if  he  loves  it,  and  we  hate 
it,  then  we  are  not  like  him,  but  are  contrary  to  him  :  are  not 
of  the  same  spirit,  but  of  a  spirit  and  disposition  contrary 
to  him.  But  the  Gospel  calls  us  to  be  like  God  ;  and  in 
a  true  and  real  conversion  we  are  changed  into  the  same 
image ;  as  all  grant.  And  therefore  the  Gospel  calls  us  to 
be  reconciled  to  that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in 
the  moral  law,  which  he  always  did,  and  always  will  love, 
and  without  the  love  of  which  we  are  not  like  God,  but  con- 
trary unto  him  ;  are  not  in  his  image,  but  are  in  the  image  of 
the  wicked  one,  who  doth  now,  and  always. will,  hate  that 
character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  his  law. 

Arg.  S.  God  the  Son,  in  character  of  Mediator,  loves 
that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  law,  and 
against  which  the  carnal  mind  is  at  enmity.  But  the  Gos- 
pel calls  us  to  be  like  Christ  in  the  temper  of  our  hearts  :  there- 
fore the  Gospel  calls  us  to  be  reconciled  to,  and  to  love  that 
character  of  God,  which  is  exhibited  in  his  law,  against  which 
all  unregenerate  sinners  are  at  enmity.  That  God  the  Son, 
in  character  of  Mediator,  loves  that  character  of  God  which 
is  exhibited  in  the  law,  is  evident,  because  he  is  the  express 
image  of  his  Father's  person.  Heb.  i.  3.  But  his  Father  loves 
that  character,  as  has  been  proved  ;  and  therefore  he  loves  it 
as  much  as  his  Father  does.  And  besides,  he  became  incar- 
nate, lived  and  died  to  do  honour  to  the  divine  law,  and  to 
the  divine  character  therein  exhibited.  But  the  Gospel  calls 
us  to  be  like  Christ,  to  be  of  the  same  spirit,  to  imitate  him, 
and  follow  his  example.  But  if  we  hate  that  character  of 
God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  law,  we  are  not  like  Christ,  we 
are  not  of  the  same  spirit,  we  do  not  imitate  him,  nor  follow 


320         WHETHER  THE  GOSPEL  CALLS  FALLEN  MAN 

his  example;  but  we  are  of  a  temper  contrary  to  him,  and 
like  the  devil. 

Remark  1.  To  hate  that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibit- 
ed in  the  law,  is  to  hate  Christ  Jesus  and  his  righteousness.  For 
Christ  Jesus  loved  that  character,  and  lived  and  died  to  do  it 
honour  :  and  in  this  his  righteousness  consisted  ;  and  for  this 
his  Father  was  well  phased  in  him  Therefore, 

Rem.  2.  Those  who  are  at  enmity  against  God  the  Father, 
are  also  at  enmity  against  God  the  Son.  For  to  hate  the  law,  is 
to  hate  the  Gospel.  Because  the  Gospel  vindicates  the  honour 
of  the  law.  Thus  the  Pharisees,  who  hated  the  true  cha- 
racter of  God  the  Father,  which  was  exhibited  in  the  law  of 
Moses,  likewise  hated  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  exhibit- 
ed in  explaining  and  vindicating  that  law  in  his  public  minis- 
try, and  in  detecting  and  condemning  the  false  glosses  which 
they  had  put  upon  it.  They  have  both  seen  and  hated  both 
me  and  my  Father.  For  if  God's  character,  exhibited  in  his 
law,  is  odious,  then  the  character  of  Christ,  as  Mediator,  is 
odious  also.  Because  Christ's  mediatorial  character  consists 
in  supreme  love  to  that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited 
in  the  law,  exercised  and  expressed  in  his  life,  and  in  his 
death. 

Rem.  3.  To  expect  acceptance  with  God  on  the  account 
of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  which  consists  in  love  to  that 
character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  law,  while  we  allow 
ourselves  to  hate  that  character,  and  really  believe  that  the 
Gospel  does  not  call  us  to  love  it,  implies  this  gross  inconsist- 
ence,  viz.  that  we  acknowledge  that  love  to  that  character  is 
above  all  things  acceptable  to  God,  and  that  yet  God  does 
not  desire  us  to  love  it.  It  was  his  will  that  Christ  should 
love  and  honour  it  to  procure  the  salvation  of  his  disciples, 
but  his  disciples  may  lawfully  hate  it.  Moreover,  to  depend 
on  Christ's  righteousness,  i.  e.  on  Christ's  loving  that  charac- 
ter and  doing  it  honour,  while  we  allow  ourselves  to  hate  it, 
and  affirm,  that '  it  is  contrary  to  the  character  of  God  and 
to  the  character  of  man  ;  contrary  to  the  law  and  to  the 
Gospel ;  contrary  to  nature  and  to  grace,'  for  us  to  love  it ; 
is  grossly  inconsistent.  For  it  is  to  depend  on  that  as  our 
justifying  righteousness  in  the  sight  of  God,  which,  if  it  were. 


TO  BE  RECONCILED  TO  GOD.  321 

in  us,  would  be  a  sin.  For  sin  if  a  transgression  of  the  law. 
But  Mr.  M.  says,  that  it  is  '  contrary  to  the  law  of  God  for 
us  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the 
moral  law/  p.  41,  4S.  Thus  men  are  taught  to  trust  in  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  for  justification  in  the  sight  of  God, 
while  they  allow  themselves  to  hate  that  righteousness  of 
Christ,  and  to  believe  it  would  be  a  sinful  thing  in  them  to 
love  what  he  loved,  and  to  be  holy  as  he  was  holy,  and  right- 
eous as  he  was  righteous.  But,  if  we  think  it  lawful  to  hate 
that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  divine  law ; 
then  we  think  ourselves  innocent  in  hating  of  it.  And  so  our 
real  dependance  for  acceptance  with  God  in  this  case,  is  not 
on  Christ's  righteousness,  but  on  our  own  innocence. 

By  the  law  given  to  Adam  it  appears,  1.  That  God  was 
disposed  to  punish  sin.  2.  That  in  his  view,  it  became  him  as  a 
moral  governor  of  the  world,  to  punish  sin.  3.  That  it  was 
bis  fixed  determination  that  sin  should  not  go  unpunished. 
And  by  the  cross  of  Christ,  it  appears  in  a  still  clearer  light, 
I.  That  God  is  disposed  to  punish  sin.  2.  That  in  his  view, 
it  becomes  him  as  moral  governor  of  the  world,  to  punish 
sin.  3.  That  it  is  his  fixed  determination  that  sin  shall  not 
go  unpunished. — But  a  determination,  in  all  instances,  to  pu- 
nish sin  in  the  criminal,  and  never  to  accept  a  surety  to  die 
in  his  room,  is  not,  and  never  was,  any  part  of  God's  revealed 
character.  However,  if  God's  disposition  to  punish  sin  is  not 
an  amiable  disposition,  it  never  was  and  never  will  be  an  ob- 
ject of  love,  whether  exhibited  in  the  law,  or  in  the  cross  of 
Christ.  But  if  it  is  a  beauty  in  the  divine  character,  it  always 
was,  and  always  will  be,  an  object  of  love,  whether  exhibited 
in  the  law,  or  in  the  cross  of  Christ.  To  say,  that  the  holi- 
ness and  justice  of  the  divine  nature  are  glorious,  when  the 
surety  is  the  sufferer ;  but  odious,  when  the  criminal  himself 
i>  punished,  is  the  grossest  absurdity,  and  the  most  barefaced 
hypocrisy. 

Arg.  4.  The  regenerating,  sanctifying  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  are  necessary  in  order  to  that  reconciliation  to 
God,  to  which  the  Gospel  calls  us,  as  is  evident  from  John 
iii.  3 — 6.  But  the  regenerating,  sanctifying  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  are  not  necessary  in  order  to  our  loving  a  charac- 
VOL. in.  41 


i>22         WHETHER  THE  GOSTEL  CALLS  FALLEN   MAN 

ter,  which,  while  unregenerate,  we  are  not  at  enmity  against. 
For,  1.    There  is  no  need  of  the  regenerating  influences  of 
the  Spirit,  in  order  to  all  that  preparatory  work,  which  is  be- 
fore  regeneration  5  as  all  grant.    2.  After  this  preparatory 
work  is  completely  finished,  according  to  Mr.  M.  '  the  un- 
regenerate sinner   is  capahle  of  receiving  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ :' 
while  unregenerate,  he  means;  for  he  adds  '  by  which  his 
soul  will  be  regenerated.'  p.  51.     Thus  the  glory  of  God  in 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ  is  actually  seen,  according  to  Mr.  M. 
by  the  unregenerate  sinner,  while  unregenerate.     And  there- 
fore there  is,  according  to  him,  no  need  of  the  regenerating, 
sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  bring  the  sinner 
thus  far.     Nay,  in  fact,  the  sinner  comes  thus  far  while  un- 
regenerate.    And,  4.    being  brought  thus  far,  the  sinner  now 
neet!"  no  new  principle  of  grace,  as  he  says,  p.  47,  48.  For  in- 
deed it  is  natural  for  all  mankind  to  love  that  which  appears 
glorious  and   amiable  in  their  eyes.  Nor  is  any  assistance 
needed  in  this,  according  to  Mr,  M.;  no,  not  so  much  as  ex- 
ternal means;  '  it  will  have  this  effect  without  the  necessity 
of  an  exhortation.'  p.  52.  Just  as  it  was  natural  for  Jacob  to 
love  Rachel,  as  soon  as  he  saw  her,  '  without  the  need  of  an 
exhortation.'     And  much  less  did  he  need  any  supernatural 
assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  affair.     Yea,  according 
to  Mr.  M.  the  reconciliation  will  be  perfect  on  the  first  disco- 
very, so  that  an  exhortation  to  be  reconciled  to  God   will  ne- 
ver more  be  needed.     Thus  it  is  evident,  that  on  Mr.  M.'s 
scheme,  the  regenerating,  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  are  entirely  needless  in  order  to  a  sinner's  loving  that 
character  of  God,  against  which,  Adam  was  no  more  at  en- 
mity after  his  fall,  than  he  was  before  he  fell,  which  Mr.  M. 
supposes  is  exhibited  in  the  Gospel.    And  therefore,  5.  Rege- 
neration in  his  sense  of  it,  may  '  be  wrought  by  light,'  with- 
out any  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Spirit  at  all.     For  as 
God's   supposed    new   character   may   appear  glorious   and 
amiable  to  one,  who  is  at  enmity  against  God's  old  character; 
so  this  new  character  may  for  the  same  reason  be  loved  by 
one,  who  is  at  enmity  against  his  old  character.     That  is,  by 
the  carnal  mind.     For  this  NEW  God  teaches  his  votaries, 


TO  BE  RECONCILED  TO  GOD.  325 

that,  it  is  '  contrary  to  the  character  of  God,  and  contrary  to 
the  character  of  men  ;  contrary  to  the  law  and  to  the  Gospel  ; 
contrary  to  nature  and  to  grace/  to  love  that  character  of 
God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  divine  law,  holy,  just,  and  good, 
as  it  is,  against  which  the  carnal  mind  is  at  enmity.  And  this 
doctrine  is  so  perfectly  agreeable  to  a  carnal  heart,  that  if  we 
may  have  the  favour  and  love  of  the  Almighty  on  this  plan, 
Mr.  M.  might  well  say,  p.  43.  '  That  there  is  nothing  in  our 
fallen  circumstances  to  prevent  our  returning  to  the  love  of 
God,'  and  that  without  any  new  principle  of  grace. 

Arg.  o.  All  the  holy  inhabitants  of  heaven  love  that  cha- 
racter of  God,  which  is  exhibited  in  his  holy  law,  as  it  is  set 
forth  in  the  clearest  and  strongest  point  of  light,  in  the 
eternal  misery  of  the  damned.  For  they  all  join  to  cry,  Hal- 
lelujah, while  their  smoke  asctndeth  for  ever  and  ever.  Rev. 
xix.  1 — 6.  But  if  we  are  not  by  the  Gospel  brought  to  a  re- 
conciliation to  the  same  character,  we  cannot  join  in  the 
worship  of  heaven,  nor  with  any  comfort  live  among  them. 
«  Cor.  vi.  14,  15.  But  if  Mr.  M.'s  scheme  is  true, 

Arg.  6.  The  breach  between  God  and  the  sinner  may  be 
made  up,  and  a  perfect  reconciliation  take  place,  without  the 
sinner's  ever  repenting  of  that  enmity  against  God  which  is  in 
his  heart  as  a  fallen  creature.  Yea,  it  is  lawful  for  the  sin- 
ner to  continue  in  that  enmity.  Yea,  it  is  his  duty.  For  Mr. 
M.  says,  it  is  'contrary  to  the  law  of  God*  to  love  that  cha- 
racter of  the  Deity,  which  is  exhibited  in  the  moral  law.  p. 
40,  41,  42.  And  therefore,  when  Christ  came  to  call  sinners 
to  repentance,  he  had  no  intention  that  they  should  repent  of 
their  enmity  against  his  Father's  character  exhibited  in  that 
holy  law,  which  he  loved  and  obeyed  in  his  life,  and  honour- 
ed in  his  death  ;  but  was  free  and  heartily  willing  they  should 
go  on  in  their  enmity  to  it  to  all  eternity.  For  Mr.  M.  says, 
(p.  43.)  'The  love  of  God  which  the  Gospel  teacheth,'  is  not 
love  to  the  divine  character  exhibited  in  the  law,  but  '  love 
of  that  divine.character  which  is  exhibited  to  us  in  a  Mediator, 
and  NO  OTHER.'  But  if  God  the  Father  loves  that  character 
of  himself  which  is  exhibited  in  his  holy  law,  and  if  God  the 
Son  loves  that  character,  and  if  all  the  holy  inhabitants  of 
heaven  are  like  God  "and  his  Son,  and  love  that  character  too, 


324       WHETHER  THE  GOSPEL  CALLS  FALLEN  MAN 

then  converts,  on  Mr.  M.'s  scheme,,  when  they  arrive  to  hea- 
ven, if  they  ever  should  arrive  there,  could  not  join  with  the 
church  above,  or  make  that  profession  of  love  to  God,  which 
all  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  do  there  ;  but  would  need  an 
external  graceless  covenant  in  that  world,  in  order  to  join  in 
full  communion  there,  as  much  as  they  do  in  this  world  here 
below,  in  order  to  join  in  full  communion  here. 

But  it  is  time  now  to  attend  to  Mr.  M.'s  reasoning;  and 
this  is  the  sum,  and  this  is  the  whole  force  of  his  argument, 
on  the  strength  of  which  his  whole  scheme  stands,  and  which 
he  has  repeated  over  and  over  again. 

Objection.  "To  love  that  character  of  God  which  is  exhi- 
bited in  his  law,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  our  own  misery. 
But  to  love  our  own  misery  is  to  take  pleasure  in  pain  ;  which 
is  a  contradiction,  and  in  its  own  nature  impossible.  Contrary 
to  the  character  of  God,  and  to  the  character  of  men  ;  con- 
trary to  the  law  and  to  the  Gospel ;  contrary  to  nature  and  to 
grace."  p.  10.  12.  4 1,  42,  43. 

Answer,  1.  Our  author  says,^(p.  11.)  '  That  the  primary  rea- 
son why  God  is  to  be  loved,  is  the  transcendent  excellency  of 
the  divine  perfections  f. 

But  r  the  transcendent  excellency  of  the  divine  perfections' 
is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.  And  therefore, 
that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  law,  is  as 
*  transcendantly  excellent*  since,  as  it  was  before  the  fall. 
And  therefore  Mi's  reason  of  love  remains  in  FULL  FORCE  to 
us  in  our  guilty  state. 

f  '  If  all  the  ground  and  reason  there  is  for  fallen  man  to  exercise  dependence 
on  God,'  i.  e.  for  eternal  life,  '  ariseth  from  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  Mr.  M. 
says,  (p.  12.)  yet  all  the  ground  and  reason  that  mankind  hare  to  love  God 
does  not  arise  from  the  covenant  of  grace.'  For  God  was  in  himself  infinitely 
•worthy;  of  our  love,  antecedent  to  a  consideration  of  the  gift  of  Christ,  otherwise 
the  gift  of  Christ  to  answer  the  demands  of  the  law,  in  our  room,  had  beeo 
needless ;  for  there  was  no  need  our  surety  should  ever  pay  a  debt  for  us  which 
•we  ourselves  never  owed.  And  it  was  as  '  repugnant  to  the  law,  and  as  much 
'  presumption,'  to  expect  eternal  life  before  the  fall,  as  since,  without  perfect 
obedience,  on  the  foot  of  law.  This  kind  of  dependence  was  never  required  by 
the  law  of  Adam,  or  of  any  other  man.  It  was  no  more  his  duty  before  the  fall 
than  it  was  afterwards. 


TO  BE  RECONCILED  TO  GOD.  345 

Ans.  2-  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  all  the  holy  inhabitants  of  heaven,  love  that  cha- 
racter of  God  which  is  exhibited  in  his  law  ;  and  yet  they  do 
not  love  misery  itself,  or  take  any  pleasure  in  the  pains  of  the 
damned,  considered  merely  as  pain.  If  God  did  take  plea- 
sure in  the  pains  of  the  damned,  considered  merely  as  pain  ; 
if  this  were  the  character  which  he  exhibits  of  himself  in  his 
law  ;  then  to  love  this  character  would  be  the  same  thing  as 
to  love  misery.  So  that  this  is  implicitly,  and  by  fair  con- 
struction, imputed  to  the  Father  of  the  universe,  when  it  is 
said,  that  '  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is  exhibited 
in  the  divine  law,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  our  own  mise- 
ry.' But  to  say,  that  God  and  the  holy  inhabitants  of  hea- 
ven take  pleasure  in  the  pains  of  the  damned,  considered  mere- 
ly as  pain,  is  to  impute  to  them  a  spirit  of  disinterested  malice. 

But  to  justify  our  enmity  against  God  by  such  an  imputa- 
tion, is  exceeding  impious.  But  on  the  other  hand,  if  God 
may  love  that  character  of  himself  which  is  exhibited  in  his 
law,  and  yet  not  love  misery  itself;  then,  were  we  regenerate, 
were  we  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  we  might  be 
like  God;  and  be  affected  as  the  holy  inhabitants  of  heaven 
are ;  and  so  might  love  that  character  of  God  which  is  ex- 
hibited in  the  divine  law,  and  not  love  misery  in  ourselves,  or 
in  any  other  beings. 

A  wise  and  good  father,  when  he  inflicts  just  punishment 
on  a  haughty,  stubborn  .child,  for  some  heinous  crime,  ap- 
proves and  loves  his  own  conduct,  and  the  character  which 
he  exhibits  therein  ;  but  yet  he  does  not  love  his  child's  mi- 
sery, itself,  or  take  pleasure  in  his  pain,  as  such,  or  desire  his 
child  to  take  pleasure  in  it.  And  if  the  proud,  haughty, 
stubborn,  impenitent  child  should  say,  'To  love  a  whipping 
father  is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  to  be  whipped ;  but  to 
love  to  be  whipped  is  to  love  misery ;  but  to  love  misery  is 
a  contradiction,  and  in  its  own  nature  impossible,  and  con- 
trary to  the  law  of  God,  which  requires  me  to  love  myself;' 
every  obedient  child  in  the  family  would  be  able  to  see  the 
fallacy  of  the  argument.  And  love  to  their  father's  honour, 
would  make  them  love  him  for  vindicating  his  honour  in  the 
just  punishment  of  such  a  son.  Nor  is  there  a  father  on 


326      WHETHER  THE  GOSPEL  CALLS  FALLEN  MAN,  &C. 

earth,  hearing  such  language  as  this  from  a  child,  but  that 
would  think  it  proper  and  fit  that  his  uncircumcised  heart 
should  be  so  humbled  as  to  accept  the  punishment  of  his  ini- 
quity before  he  pardoned  him.  Nor  would  he  forgive  him, 
until  he  should  feel  and  say,  '  I  deserve  to  be  whipped.  It 
is  good  enough  for  me.  It  becomes  my  father  to  do  it.  Nor 
is  it  a  blemish,  but  a  beauty  in  his  character,  to  be  disposed 
to  chastise  such  a  haughty  wretch  as  1  am.'  For  the  father 
approves  of  his  own  disposition  to  punish  his  child.  He 
knows  that  it  becomes  him.  And  until  his  child  knows  it 
too,  he  cannot  but  disapprove  of  him,  as  a  stubborn,  impeni- 
tent child.  And  yet  no  father  ever  desired  his  child  to  love 
misery.  Nay,  on  the  contrary,  did  the  child  love  to  be 
whipped,  did  whipping  give  the  child  pleasure,  it  would  cease 
to  be  of  the  nature  of  a  punishment.  It  would  gratify  the 
child,  and  frustrate  the  father.  To  say  in  this  case,  that  '  to 
love  a  whipping  father  is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  to  be 
whipped/  is  to  say,  that  the  father  whips  the  child  merely 
for  the  pleasure  of  whipping  it,  and  takes  delight  in  its  mise- 
ry, for  itself:  and  so  is  guilty  of  disinteresttd  malice,  which 
no  man  ever  was  guilty  of,  and  which  to  charge  on  the  Deity 
is  the  highest  blasphemy.  For  if  the  father  loves  his  own 
character,  and  delights  in  his  own  conduct  toward  his  child, 
without  loving  the  child's  misery  itself;  then  nothing  hin- 
ders, but  that  the  child  might  love  his  father's  character  and 
conduct  too,  without  loving  its  own  misery.  For  a  more 
particular  answer  to  this  objection,  see  Essay  on  the  nature 
and  glory  of  the  Gospel. 


SECTION  VIII. 

Gen.  i.  '27.     So  God  crtated  man  in  his  own  image,  in  the. 

image  of  God  created  he  him. 

Question.  How  was  it  possible  for  Adam  before  the  fall,  to 
love  that  character  of  God  which  was  exhibited  to  him  in  the 
law,  consistently  with  the  love  oj  his  own  happiness  ? 

THE  difficulty  which  attends  this  question  may  come  into 
view,  if  we  consider, 

1.  That  a  state  of  eternal  misery  is  infinitely  worse  than 
not  to  be.     Existence  itself  is  desirable  to  mere  nature,  only 
as  it  implies  a  capacity  for   the  enjoyment  of  happiness. 
Nature  dreads  annihilation,  as  thereby  all  happiness  is  lost 
for  ever.     But  it  is  be.tter  to  be  without  happiness,  than  it  is 
to  be  not  only  without  happiness,  but  miserable.     Pure  mise- 
ry is  worse  than  non-existence.     Hence  abandoned  guilty 
sinners  often  wish  for  annihilation.     And  had  Adam  for  the 
first  transgression  been  threatened  with  annihilation,  it  might 
have  been  thought  of  with  less  horror  and  dread.     But  mise- 
ry is  a  dreadful  thing.    And  eternal  misery  is  infinitely  dread- 
ful, infinitely  worse  than  not  to  be.     How  therefore  could 
Adam  think  oJ  that  dreadful  word  DEATH,  as  implying  eter- 
nal misery,  and  yet  love  that  Being  who  had  threatened   this 
for  the  first  transgression  ?    Yea,  and  love  that  very  character 
exhibited  in  the  threatening  itself?    How  could  love  to  this 
character  consist  with  his  love  to  his  own  happintss? — It  is 
true,  God  had  been  kind  to  him,  in  giving  him  a  happy  ex- 
istence, surrounded  with  many  delights:  but  this  happiness 
and  these  delights  to  be  enjoyed  for  thousands  of  ages,  were 
lighter  than  a  feather,  compared  with  eternal  misery. — And  it 
is  true,  he  might  remain  happy  for  ever,  in  case  of  perfect 
obedience.     And  this  was  a  glorious  prospect. — But  what  it' 
he  sinned  ?  What  then  ?  DEATH!  ETERNAL  DEATH  !  never 
ending  woes  were  threatened,  as  his  just  desert.     But  why 
eternal  death  for   one  offence?     Where  was  the  wisdom, 


ADAM'S  LOVE  TO  GOD, 

justice,  or  goodness  of  this  ?  This  is  the  language  of  self-love, 
as  it  now  takes  place  in  fallen  man.  And  if,  as  Mr.  M.  says, 
'  this  principle  of  self-love  was  essential  to  moral  agency'  in 
innocent  Adam,  it  must  have  been  the  language  of  his  heart 

before  the  fall. But, 

2.  One  bad  property  entirely  approved  of,  and  constantly 
exercised,  will  render  any  moral  character  devoid  of  beauty. 
Jf  there  is  no  moral  beauty  in  the  divine  character,  he  is  nei- 
ther worthy  of  supreme  love,  nor  capable  of  being  the  supreme 
good.  A  law,  a  fixed  law,  is  an  expression  of  the  fixed  cha- 
racter of  the  law-giver.  If  God's  disposition  to  punish  sin 
tvith  eternal  misery  appeared  in  Adam's  eyes  to  be  a  bad  pro- 
perty in  the  Deity,  it  was  not  possible  he  should  love  him 
with  all  his  heart.  It  was  as  impossible  before  his  fall  as 
after,  even  as  it  is  as  impossible  to  love  a  tyrant  before  we  fall 
into  his  hands,  as  afterwards.  And  if  Adam  could  not  love 
the  divine  character  before  his  fall,  then  he  could  take  no  de- 
light in  him.  For  an  odious  character,  instead  of  giving  plea- 
sure, gives  pain.  And  if  Adam  neither  loved  the  divine  cha- 
racter, nor  delighted  in  it  before  the  fall,  he  was  in  the  same 
state  and  temper  of  mind  before  as  he  was  after  tbe  fall. 
And  if  so,  then  he  was  not  created  in  the  image  of  God,  but 
came  into  existence  as  much  depraved  as  we  are. 

3.  To  say  that  this  dark  side  of  the  divine  character  was 
out  of  his  view  before  he  fell,  and  that  he  viewed  the  Deity 
only  in  the  character  of  an  almighty  benefactor,  and  his 
friend  ;  and  therefore  in  this  view  of  things, '  the  love  of  God, 
and  self-love  were  consistent :'  is  really  to  say,  that  Adam  be- 
fore the  fall  did  not  love  God's  true  and  real  character,  as  ex- 
hibited in  the  law  which  he  was  under.  But  rather  that  cha- 
racter was  so  entirely  out  of  his  view,  that  he  had  no  exer- 
cises of  heart  about  it,  good  or  bad  ;  for  it,  or  against  it :  which 
amounts  to  the  same  thing  as  to  say,  that  he  was  never  ac- 
tually friendly  to  God's  true' character,  even  before  the  fall. 
But  rather  had  he  fully  known  it,  and  taken  a  deliberate  view 
of  it  with  application  to  himself,  he  would  have  disliked  it, 
even  then.  And  this  must  with  as  much  reason  then,  as  af- 
terwards, have  been  the  language  of  his  heart ;  '  to  love  this 
character  of  God  is  to  love  my  own  misery;  but  to  love  my 


BEFORE  THE  FALL.  S2Q 

ewn  misery  is  impossible.     For  to  take  pleasure  in  pain  im- 
plies a  contradiction.' 

4.  Mr.  M.  says,  p.  42.  '  For  a  principle  of  self-love  is  es- 
sential to  our  nature.  Take  away  all  self-love,  and  a  total  in- 
difference to  pleasure  and  pain  will  take  place  in  us;  and 
then  we  become  incapable  of  being  influenced  by  promises 
and  threatenings,  rewards  and  punishments;  which  strips  us 
of  our  moral  agency.  But  to  love  God  in  our  guilty  state  ac- 
cording to  the  character  of  him  in  the  moral  law,  does  thus 
totally  exclude  all  self-love  from  its  proper  place  and  exer- 
cise in  the  heart.  For  to  be  well  pleased  in  God  as  a  holy 
and  righteous  Being,  from  the  perfections  of  whose  nature  it 
becomes  absolutely  necessary  that  he  should  make  us  for 
ever  completely  miserable  *,  i.s  directly  repugnant  to,  and  ah- 

g  Q.  1.  Was  it  absolutely  necessary  from  the  perfections  of  the  divine  nature, 
that  fallen  Adam  should  be  miserable  for  ever  ?  i.  e.  that  his  sin  should  be  pun- 
ished in  his  own  person  ?  Or,  Q.  2.  Did  God,  by  the  law  given  to  Jldam,  lay  him- 
self under  an  absolute  necessity  to  make  Adam  miserable  for  ever  ?  i.  e.  to  pun- 
ish his  sin  in  his  own  person.  If  so,  thcu  the  doctrine  of  substitution,  of  one 
the  dying  in  the  room  of  another,  is  absolutely  inconsistent  with  the  perfections  of 
divine  nature,  and  with  the  tenour  of  the  divine  law.  Which  to  say,  saps  the  very 
foundation  of  divine  revelation  ;  and  demonstrates  that  the  God,  who  appeared 
to  Adam  after  the  fall,  was  not  the  same  God  that  had  appeared  to  him  before. 
The  God  of  the  law  and  the  God  of  the  Gospel,  are  two  beings,  absolutely  in- 
consistent with  each  other.  The  truth  is,  1.  That  God's  disposition  to  punish 
sin  according  to  its  desert  is,  and  ever  was,  and  ever  will  be,  essential  to  his  nature. 
But  to  punish  sin,  in  all  instances  in  the  criminal  himself,  without  ever  admitting; 
a  surety,  is  not  essential  to  his  nature.  But,  2.  God's  disposition  to  punish  sin 
according  to  its  desert,  is  set  in  as  clear  and  strong  a  point  of  light  in  the  Gospel, 
as  in  the  law  ;  in  the  death  of  Christ,  as  if  every  sinner  had  been  punished  in  his 
own  person.  3.  This  disposition  is  a  beauty  in  the  divine  character,  or  a 
blemish.  If  it  is  a  beauty,  then  it  is,  and  always  was,  and  always  will  be,  an 
object  of  love.  If  a  blemish,  then  it  is  not  an  object  of  love,  as  exhibited  in  the 
law,  or  in  the  Gospel ;  in  the  death  of  the  criminal,  or  of  his  surety.  But  if  it  is 
a  blemish,  it  is  more  odious,  as  exhibited  in  the  Gospel,  than  in  the  law.  4.  As 
a  regard  to  a  parent's  honour  renders  the  parent's  disposition  to  maintain  his 
honour,  in  the  government  of  his  house,  a  beauty  in  the  eyes  of  a  child  ;  so  a  re- 
gard to  the  honour  of  the  Deity  renders  his  disposition,  to  maintain  his  honour, 
in  the  government  of  his  kingdom,  a  beauty  in  the  eyes  of  every  regenerate  soul 
But  the  holiness  and  justice  of  the  divine  nature  are  disagreeable  in  the 
eyes  of  every  one,  who  is  under  the  government  of  supreme  self-love.  For  mere 
self-love  has  no  regard  for  God.  However,  5.  A  carnal  heart,  which  is  enmity 
against  God's  true  and  real  character,  frbm  a  mere  selfish  spirit,  may  be  greatly 
pleased  with  the  idea  of  an  almighty  Reconciled  father  and  friend,  dfterminfd  to 

VOL.   in.  42 


330  ADAM'S  LOVE  TO  GOD, 

solutely  inconsistent  with,  the  least  degree  of  regard  to  our 
own  well  being.  There  can  *  be  in  nature  no  such  sort  of  re- 
generation as  to  bring*the  heart,  under  such  circumstances,  to 
exercise  true  love  to  God.' Therefore,  if  these  things  are 

true, 

5.  It  was  in  the  nature  of  things  impossible   that  Adam, 

before  the  fall,  should  deliberately  and  understanding!/  love 
that  character  of  God  which  was  exhibited  to  him  in  the  law 
he  was  under.  For  it  implied  '  love  to  his  own  misery,'  to 
love  it  one  time  as  really  as  another,  before  his  fall  as  well  as 
afterwards.  Thus  when  a  wise  and  good  father  threatens  to 
whip  his  child  in  case  he  commits  some  particular  crime, 
which  he  warns  him  against;  to  love  the  character  of  that  fa- 
ther exhibited  in  that  threatening,  is  as  really  contrary  to  self- 
love  before  the  crime  is  committed,  as  it  is  afterwards.  For 
it  is  precisely  the  same  thing  to  love  a  character  exhibited  in 
a  threatening,  as  it  is  to  love  the  same  character  exhibited  in 
the  execution  of  that  threatening.  For  the  character  exhibited 
is  precisely  the  same.  But  to  love  the  same  character  is  the 
same  thing.  And  if  it  implies  a  '  total  indifference  to  plea- 
sure and  pain,'  to  love  this  character  at  one  time,  it  does  also 
equally  at  all  times.  For  love  to  it  is  always,  at  all  times, 
and  under  all  circumstances,  precisely  one  and  the  same 
thing.  So  that,  if  Mr.  M.'s  reasoning  is  just,  Adam  came 
into  existence  with  a  spirit  of  enmity  to  God  in  his  heart. 
Nor  was  it  possible  in  the  nature  of  things,  that  he  should  ever 
have  had  it  in  his  heart,  to  love  that  character  of  God  which 
was  exhibited  in  the  law  which  he  was  under.  Nor  is  it  pos- 
sible, that  we  his  posterity  should  ever  be  brought  to  love  it. 
'There  can  be  in  nature  no  such  sort  of  regeneration.'  There- 
fore Adam  was  not  created  in  the  image  of  God,  nor  are  any 
of  his  posterity  recovered  to  the  image  of  God  by  the  re- 
generating, sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And 

make  him  happy  for  ever,  and  may  cry  out,  tJds  God  is  tranccndently  excellent 
and  glorious  /  but  God  does  not  sustain  this  character,  -with  respect  to  any  im- 
penitent sinner.  It  is  true,  many  impenitent  sinners  have  such  '  a  discovery,' 
but  the  thing  discovered  is  a  He,  and  the  father  of  lies  is  the  author  of  the  dis- 
covery. And  yet  they  mistake  this  lie,  for  &Jory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesv- 
Christ. 


BlitORE  THE  FALL.  331 

thus  divine  revelation  is  sapped  at  the  very  foundation.  I7or 
one  of  the  first  facts  revealed,  is  in  its  own  nature  absolutely 
impossible,  viz.  That  Adam  was  created  in  the  image  of. 
God.  Because,  for  Adam  to  love  that  character  of  God 
which  was  exhibited  in  that  law  which  Adam  was  under, 
was  '  inconsistent  with  the  least  degree  of  regard  to  his  own 
well-being.' — Besides, 

6.  If  it  is  inconsistent  with  that  regard  to  our  own  well- 
being,  which  we  ought  to  exercise,  in  our  guilty  state,  to 
Jove  that  character  of  God  ;  it  is  equally  inconsistent  with 
that  regard  to  our  neighbour's  well-being,  which  we  ought  to 
exercise.     For  it  is  an  agreed  point,  that  we  ought   to  love 
onr  neighbour  as  ourselves.     And  it  is  as  '  contrary  to  the  law 
of  God'  to  delight  in  our  neighbour's  misery,  as  in  our  own. 
So  that, 

7.  Unless  a  universal  salvation  of  devils  and  damned  takes 
place,  it  will  eternally  be  '  absolutely  inconsistent'  with  th.it 
regard  which  we  ought  to  have  to  ourselves  and  to  our  neigh- 
bours, to  love  the  Deity.     And  therefore,  if  Mr.  M.'s  reason- 
ing is  just,  all  holy  beings  in  the  intellectual  system  must 
join  in  a  general  revolt,  unless  the  Deity  entirely  lays  aside 
his  moral  character,  exhibited  in  the  moral  law  ;  and  grants 
a  general  release  to  all  the  damned.     And  thus, 

8.  The  doctrine  of  the  eternity  of  hell  torments  must  be 
given  up,  or  God's  moral  character  is  wholly  ruined.     For  it 
is  as  bad  a  piece  of  conduct  in  the  Deity  to  damn  my  neigh- 
bour, as  it  is  to  damn  myself.     For  my  neighbour's  welfare 
is  worth  as  much  as  my  own.     And  it  is  as  'contrary  to  the 
law'  to  love  my  neighbour's  miser}',  as  to  love  my  own  misery. 
It  never  was,  therefore,  if  Mr.  M.'s  reasoning  is  just,  any 
part  of  God's  moral  character,  to  be  disposed  to  punish  sin 
with  everlasting  punishment,  as  Jesus  taught,  Mat.  xxv.  46. 
And  so  Jesus  was  not  the  Christ.     Or  else  the  Socinians  arc 
right,  and  we  must  join  with  them,  and  say,  that  God   never 
did  think,  I.  That  he  was  God,  i.  e.  an  infinitely  glorious 
nnd  amiable  being,  infinitely  worthy  of  the  supreme  love  and 
universal  obedience  of  his  rational  creatures.    Or,  2.  That  si* 
was  an  infinite  evil.     Or,  3.  That  sin  did  deserve  an  infi- 
nite punishment.     Nor,  4.  Did  he  ever  intend  to  punish  i 


332 

with  et'e) lasting  punishment.  And,  j.  If  sin  is  not  an  infinite 
evil,  an  infinite  atonement  never  was  needed,  or  made.  And 
so,  6.  Our  Saviour  is  not  God.  And  thus  a  denial  of  the  di- 
viniti/ofGod  the,  Father,  issues  in  the  denial  of  the  divinity 
of  God  the  Son.  And  having  framed  in  our  fancy  a  God  to 
suit  our  hearts,  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  a  sanctifier,  becomes  need- 
less. For  we  can  love  this  God,  without  any  new  principle  of 
grace*  And  thus,  if  Mr.  M.'s  reasoning  is  just,  and  if  we 
will  pursue  ir,  in  its  necessary  consequences,  we  are  Socinians, 
or  infidels  :  and  the  odds  between  Socinianism  and  infidelity 
is  not  great. 

Thus  the  difficulty  is  stated.     And  the  answer  to  it  is  as  fol- 
lows : 

This  must  be  admitted,  as  a  self-evident  maxim,  that  that 
regard  to  the  welfare  of  ourselves  and  of  our  neighbours, 
which  is  inconsistent  with  the  love  of  God's  moral  character, 
is  of  the  nature  of  opposition  to  God.  But  opposition  to  the 
moral  character  of  God  is  not  a  duty,  but  a  sin.  That  self- 
love,  therefore,  '  which  is  absolutely  inconsistent  with  the 
love  of  God,'  is  criminal.  And  therefore  it  was  so  far  from 
being  '  essential  to  moral  agency'  in  innocent  Adam,  that  it  did 
not  belong  to,  but  was  inconsistent  with  his  character.  He  loved 
happiness,  but  he  placed  his  chief  happiness  in  God's  glory  : 
of  whom,  and  by  whom,  and  to  whom,  are  all  things ;  to  whom 
be  glory  for  ever.  Nor  had  he  any  separate  interest  of  his 
own,  independent  of  God,  and  in  opposition  to  his  honour 
and  glory,  nor  the  least  degree  of  a  selfish  spirit.  For  him- 
self, his  soul  and  body,  his  all,  was  offered  up  as  a  living  sa- 
crifice to  God,  without  reserve.  And  it  was  no  more  incon- 
sistent with  Adam's  love  of  happiness  to  love  God  for  saying, 
Jn  the,  day  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die  ;  than  it 
was  inconsistent  with  God's  goodness,  for  God  to  love  his  own 
character  exhibited  in  this  threatening.  It  is  in  its  own  na- 
ture, and  by  the  consent  of  all- mankind,  perfectly  consistent,  to 
give  up  and  sacrifice  a  lesser  good  to  a  greater,  if  the  greater 
cr.n  be  secured  in  no  other  way  :  while  yet  at  the  same  time, 
the  lesser  good,  which  is  given  up,  is  valued  according  to  its 
worth.  If  God  acted  a  consistent  part  in  exercising  a  greater 
vcgard  to  his  own  honour  than  to  Adam's  welfare,  in  giving 


BEFORE  THE  FALL.  333 

out  that  threatening,  In  the  day  thou  ealest  thereof  thou  shalt 
surely  die,  then  it  was  equally  consistent  in  Adam  to  be  affect- 
ed as  his  Maker  was.  If  the  Deity  was  consistent  with  him- 
self, then  Adam,  who  was  created  in  his  image,  was  consistent 
also.  If  the  holiness  and  justice  of  the  divine  nature,  exhi- 
bited in  that  threatening,  were  perfect  in  beauty,  without  a 
blemish  in  the  eyes  of  infinite  goodness,  they  must  likewise 
appear  so  in  Adam's  eyes,  while  he  had  no  other  kind  of  re- 
gard for  his  own  welfare,  than  had  his  Creator.  That  is,  so 
long  as  he  continued  to  he  in  the  image  of  God.  And  if  love 
to  God  and  to  his  own  happiness  were  originally  consistent 
in  Adam,  when  in  the  image  of  God,  they  may  be  equally 
consistent  in  any  of  Adam's  sons,  who  are  anew  restored  to 
that  image  of  God  which  Adam  lost.  And  the  holiness  and 
justice  of  the  divine  nature,  as  exhibited  in  the  divine  law,  may 
appear  to  be  perfect  in  beauty,  with  application  to  ourselves  ; 
and  God  appear  to  be  infinitely  lovely,  in  his  disposition  to 
punish  sin  according  to  its  deserts;  and  yet  our  own  eternal 
welfare  be  at  the  same  time  prized  according  to  its  worth, 
and  the  salvation  of  the  Gospel  appear  infinitely  precious, 
and  the  fruit  of  grace  infinitely  great  and  absolutely  free ; 
and  the  Gospel  way  of  salvation  worthy  of  God.  But  were 
not  the  divine  character  exhibited  in  the  divine  law  perfect 
in  beauty,  without  a  blemish,  it  ought  to  have  been  laid  aside 
in  disgrace,  and  not  honoured  with  the  highest  honours  on 
the  cross.  If  *  to  love  God  is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  mise- 
iv,'  if  to  love  God  is  '  contrary  to  the  law  of  God/  then  that 
law  which  requires  this,  is  an  absurd,  inconsistent,  tyrannical 
law,  not  worthy  of  God,  nor  worthy  to  be  honoured  by  the 
blood  of  his  own  Son.  For  a  more  large  and  particular  vievr 
of  this  subject  the  reader  is  referred  to  my  Essay  on  the  Gos- 
pel, sect.  vi. 

Mr.  M.'s  reasoning  implies,  that  in  Adam  before  the  fall, 
there  was  really  '  no  principle  of  holiness,'  no  disinterested 
regard  to  the  Deity  :  and  that  his  whole  soul  was  under  the 
government  of  self-love,  even  the  same  '  principle  of  self- 
love'  which  governed  him  after  the  fall.  And  therefore,  as 
soon  as  God's  favour  was  lost,  and  he  exposed  to  destruction, 
this  favourite  principle  of  self-love  became  'inconsistent  with 


334  ADAM'S  LOVE  TO  GOD, 

the  love  of  God/  and  continues  to  be  so,  until  God  appears 
to  be  our  friend  again.  And  so  Adam  hud  no  '  principle  of 
holiness'  to  lose,  nor  is  there  any  such  thing  for  us  to  expect. 
Mr.  M.  says,  p.  48.  *  But  when  we  inquire  of  them  what 
they  mean  by  this  w:a>  principle  wh?ch  is  implanted  in  the 
soul  by  regeneration,  they  can  give  no  account  about  it.' 
Yes,  we  can  give  as  distinct  an  account  about  it,  as  we  can  of 
a  '  principle  of  self-love.'  It  is  that  image  of  God  in  which 
Adam  was  created,  restored  anew.  It  is  true,  that  in  Adam 
this  holu  principle  was  not  a  confirmed  habit,  but  liable  to  be 
lost  by  the  first  sin  ;  but  in  believers  who  are  united  to  the 
second  Adam,  the  *  principle  of  grace'  is  a  confirmed  habit, 
and  shall  never  be  lost.  It  becomes  confirmed  in  conse- 
quence of  the  first  act  of  saving  faith.  Eph.  i.  13,  14h.  But 

li  As  Adam  was  created  in  the  image  of  Go<]  to  prepare  him  for  holy  acts  and 
exercises  of  heart  ;  so  the  same  image  of  God  is  restored  in  regeneration  to 
prepare  us  for  the  first  holy  act.  As  there  was  a  holy  principle  in  Adam  before 
the  first  holy  act ;  so  there  is  a  holy  principle  in  the  regenerate  sinner  before  the 
ii  rst  holy  act.  And,  as  Adam's  holy  principle  was  not  a  confirmed  habit  in  its 
first  existence,  but  was  to  have  been  confirmed  on  his  acting  up  to  the  covenant 
he  was  under;  so  the  holy  principle  given  in  regeneration  is  not  a  confirmed 
habit  in  its  first  existence,  but  immediately  becomes  confirmed  as  soon  as  the  re- 
generate sinner  complies  with  the  covenant  of  grace  in  the  first  act  of  saving 
faith.  And  thus,  as  Adam  would  have  been  entitled  to  eternal  life  on  his  com- 
pliance with  the  covenant  of  works  ;  so  the  regenerate  sinner  is  entitled  to  eter- 
nal life  on  his  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace.  For  a  confirmed  habit  of 
grace  is  eternal  life,  i.  e.  life  never  to  end  ;  life  everlasting.  John  v.  24.  He 
that  believetJi  hath  everlasting-  life.  Hence  the  promises  of  the  Gospel  are  not 
made  to  the  holy  principle,  passively  considered,  but  to  its  acts  and  exercises ; 
<-.vcn  as  the  blessings  of  the  first  covenant  were  not  promised  to  that  image  of 
God,  in  which  Adam  began  to  exist,  but  to  his  active  compliance  with  that  cove- 
Bant.  And  thus,  that  faith,  by  which  we  are  married  to  Christ,  is  not  an  unre- 
generate,  sinful  act ;  but  as  our  catechism  expresses  it,  '  a  saving  grace.'  But 
if  faith  is  before  regeneration,  the  act  of  a  sinner,  dead  in  sin,  '  totally  depraved,' 
it  is  not  '  a  saving  GRACE  ;*  but  a  saving  SIN.  Or  else  it  is  not  an  act,  but  a 
mere  passive  thing,  and  implies  no  consent  of  will. 

'  Question.  But  here  it  may  hc^toubtcd,  and  objected  against  this  position, 
If  we  cannot  believe  till  we  are  quickened  with  spiritual  life,  as  you  say,  and  can- 
not be  justified  till  we  believe,  as  all  say,  then  it  will  follow,  that  a  regenerate  soul 
may  be  in  a  state  of  condemnation  for  a  time,  and  consequently  perish,  if  death 
should  befall  him  in  that  juncture.'  Thus  Mr.  Flavel  states  the  objection,  and 
thus  be  answers  it. 

'  Solution.  To  this  I  return  ;  that  when  we  speak  of  the  priority  of  this 
quickening  work  of  the  spirit  to  our  actual  believing,  we  rather  underr.tand  it  of 


BEFORE  THE  FALL. 

its  nature  is  the  same.  For  there  is  but  one  kind  of  true  ho- 
liness in  the  universe.  For  the  holiness  of  Christ  is  of  the 
same  nature  with  the  holiness  of  God  the  Father.  Christ  is 
the  express  image  of  his  Father ;  and  of  his  fulness  we  re- 
ceive, and  grace  for  grace.  In  regeneration,  therefore,  we 
are  restored  anew  to  that  image  of  God,  in  which  Adain  was 
created.  So  that  this  'principle  of  grace' is  that  whereby  we  are 
inclined  to  a  disinterested  supreme  regard  to  the  Deity,  an  in- 
finitely worthy  Being;  and  so  disposed  to  love  that  character 
of  him  exhibited  in  his  law  in  which  his  infinite  dignity 
is  asserted,  in  the  threatening  of  an  infinite  punishment  for 
sin.  Even  as  self-love  is  '  that  principle'  whereby  a  fallen 
creature  is  inclined  to  a  supreme  regard  to  himself,  and  to  his 
own  honour  and  interest,  separate  from,  independent  of,  and 
unsubordinate  to,  God  and  his  glory.  Which  self-love  is  in 
kind,  different  from  that  love  of  happiness  which  is  essential 
to  every  holy  being.  The  one  is  contrary  to  the  holiness  of 
the  divine  nature,  and  the  source  of  all  our  enmity  against 
the  Deity.  The  other  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  divine 
nature,  and  consistent  with  the  perfect  love  of  the  holiness 
and  justice  of  God,  as  exhibited  in  his  law. 

Mr.  M.  says,  (p.  48.)  *  But  if  this  be  true,  that  there  must 
be  a  gracious  principle  implanted  in  the  heart  of  a  sinner, 
before  he  is  capable  of  any  gracious  acts  ;  then  for  the  same 
reason,  there  must  be  a  corrupt  principle  implanted  in  the 
heart  of  a  holy  creature,  (Adam,  for  instance,)  before  he  is 
capable  of  any  sinful  acts.'  The  Scripture  teaches  us,  that 
God  created  man  in  his  orcn  image,  whereby  he  was  prepared 
to  holy  acts  and  exercises :  but  the  Scripture  does  not  teach 
us,  that  God  afterwards  created  man  in  the  image  of  the  devil, 

the  priority  of  nature,  than  of  time,  the  nature  and  order  of  the  work  requjrirj; 
it  to  be  so;  a  vital  principle  must,  in  order  of  nature,  be  infused,  before  a  vital 
act  can  be  exerted.  First  make  the  tree  good,  and  then  the  fruit  good  :  And 
admit  we  should  grant  some  priority  in  time  also  to  this  quickening  principle, 
before  actual  faith  ;  yet  the  absurdity  mentioned  would  be  no  way  consequent 
upon  this  concession  ;  for  as  the  vital  act  of  faith  quickly  follows  the  regenerat- 
ing principle,  so  the  soul  is  abundantly  secured  against  the  danger  objected  ; 
God  never  beginning  any  special  work  of  grace  upon  the  soul,  and  then  leaving 
it,  and  the  soul  with  it,  in  hazard  ;  but  preserves  botli  to  the  finishing  and  com- 
pleting of  his  gracious  design.'  Mr.  Flavel's  method  of  grace,  Sermon  5. 


336  ADAM'S  LOVE  TO  GOD, 

to  render  him  capable  of  sinful  acts.     And  therefore,  '  if  we 
would  acquiesce  in  the  plain  Scripture  account  of  these  things, 
we  should  readily  allow/  that  it  was  needful,  in  order  to  pre- 
pare Adam  for  holy  acts,  that   he  should    be  created  in  the 
image  of  God ;  yet  it  was  not  necessary  '  for  the  same  reason, 
that   there  should  be  a  corrupt  principle   implanted  in   his 
heart,  before  he  was  capable  of  any  sinful  act.'     For   sin  be- 
gins in  that  which  is  merely  negative ;  i.  e.   it  begins  in  not 
loving  God  with  all  the  heart ;  in  ceasing  to  exercise  that  re- 
gard to  the  Deity  which  is  his  due.     Or  in   not  having  such 
a  sense  of  his  worthiness  of  love  and  regard,  as  ought  to  take 
place  in  the  heart.     But  a  sense  of  God's  infinite  worthiness, 
of  supreme  love  and  perfect  obedience,  may  cease  to  fill   and 
govern  the  whole  soul,  without  a  pre'vious  implantation   of  a 
corrupt  principle.     It  did  so  in  Adam.    For  had  he  remained 
tinder  the  entire  government  of  supreme  love  to  God,  he 
would  not  have  eaten   the  forbidden   fruit;   and   as  supreme 
love  to  God  ceased,  supreme  self-love  took  place  of  course  : 
but  it  never  was  in  Adam's  heart   before.     He  now,  for  the 
first  time,  began  to  have  a  frame  of  heart  answerable  to   sa- 
tan's  words,   Ye  shall  be  as  Gods ;  ye  shall  not  surely  die. 
And  so  he  took   and   eat.     In  consequence  of  which,  this 
principle  of  supreme  self-love  became  a  confirmed  habit,  and 
his  whole  heart  was  disposed  to  justify  himself  in  it.     And 
thus  Adam  became  totally  depraved. 

Remark  1.  Holiness,  as  it  originally  took  place  in  human 
nature,  had  God  for  its  author  :  and  it  was  produced  by  a 
creating  power  ;  in  the  image  oj  God,  CREATED  he  him.  So  it 
is  restored  by  the  same  power.  Eph.  ii.  10.  We  are  his  zcork- 
manship,  CREATED  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works.  But 
that  which  is  God's  gift,  (Ezck.  xxxvi.  20.)  A  new  heart 
will  1  give  you;  is  also  the  sinner's  duty.  Ezek.  xviii.  31. 
Make  yon  a  new  heart.  For  total  depravity  and  moral  agen- 
cy are  consistent :  otherwise  those  words,  (Eph.  ii.  1.)  Dead 
in  sin,  would  be  an  express  contradiction.  To  say  that  the 
doctrine  of  created  holiness  is  absurd,  is  to  say  that  the  bible 
is  not  the  word  of  God  :  for  this  is  one  of  the  first  doctrines 
taught  in  that  book.  In  t/ie  image  of  God  created  he  him. 


BEFORE  THE  FALL. 

Rein.  2.  As  Adain,  while  in  the  image  of  God,  viewed  the 
divine  character  exhibited  in  the  moral  law,  in  the  same  glo- 
rious point  of  light  in  which  God  himself  did,  in  which  view 
the  image  of  God  in  Adam  partly  consisted,  and  which  view 
lie  totally  lost  by  the  fall ;  so  this  view  of  the  divine  charac- 
ter is  restored,  when  the  image  of  God  is  renewed  in  regener- 
ation. As  it  is  written,  (Col.  iii.  10.)  The  new  man  is  renew- 
td  in  knowledge,  after  the  image  of  him  that  created  him  :  i.  e. 
that  view  of  divine  things,  which  is  like  that  view  which  God 
hath  of  them,  and  which  is  the  image  of  his  knowledge,  and 
which  was  originally  in  man  before  the  fall,  and  was  lost  by 
the  fall,  is  renewed,  is  caused  to  exist  anew,  by  the  same  pow- 
er by  which  it  at  first  existed,  when  God  created  man  in  his 
own  image.  2  Cor.  iv.  (5.  For  God,  who  commanded  the  light 
to  shine  out  of  darkness,  (saying,  Gen.  i.  3.  Let  there  be 
light,  and  there  was  light,)  by  the  same  creating  power, 
hath  shined  into  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Rem.  3.  Habitually  to  view  things  as  God  does,  and  to 
be  affected,  and  act  accordingly,  (i.  e.  comprising  both  habit 
and  act,)  is  the  whole  of  that  image  of  God,  to  which  saints 
are  recovered  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  imperfectly 
in  this  world,  and  perfectly  in  the  world  to  come.  And  this 
image  of  God  is  the  same  in  kind,  with  that  which  Adam 
lost.  For  the  essential  rectitude  of  the  divine  nature  is  the 
original  standard.  The  moral  law  is  a  transcript  of  this  ori- 
ginal. This  law  was  written  on  Adam's  heart.  The  media- 
torial righteousness  of  Christ  is  the  law  perfectly  fulfilled. 
So  Christ  is  the  express  image  of  his  Father.  And  saints  are 
the  express  image  of  Christ.  And  so  there  is  but  one  kind 
of  true  holiness  in  the  universe.  And  this  is  that  which  will 
lay  the  foundation  for  the  perfect  and  eternal  union,  which 
will  take  place  among  all  holy  Beings,  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven — God  on  the  throne,  and  every  creature  there  in  his 
proper  place,  by  universal  consent,  all  of  the  same  spirit. 

Rem.  4.  The  false  kinds  of  holiness,  exhibited  in  all 
false  schemes  of  religion,  differ  in  kind  from  the  holiness  of 
heaven,  which  implies  love  to  that  character  of  God  which 
is  exhibited  iu  the  moral  law,  to  which  all  unholy  beings  are 

VOL.  in.  43 


338 


REMARKS    ON    THE    CHRISTIAN, 


in  a  state  of  total  opposition.  For  graceless  men,  who  are 
pacified  merely  in  a  belief  that  they  are  safe,  are  in  any  other 
view,  of  the  same  temper  toward  the  Deity,  with  the  damned. 
For  supreme  self-love  governs  every  apostate  creature,  who 
is  totally  destitute  of  true  love,  of  disinterested  benevolence 
to  the  most  high  God,  the  Creator  and  Lord  of  heaven  and 
earth. 


SECTION  IX. 

Mat.  xxviii.  19.     Baptising  them  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghos>t. 

THE     CHRISTIAN    CREED;    THE    ARMIN1AN    CREED;     MR. 
M.'S  CREED.      REMARKS  ON   EACH. 

THAT  which  is  commonly  called  'The  Apostles'  creed, 
although  not  compiled  by  the  apostles,  yet  is  confessedly  of 
very  ancient  date.  And  the  three  principal  articles  of  it  are 
these  :  1 .  I  believe  in  God  the  Father,  almighty  maker  of 
heaven  and  earth.  2.  /  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  his  only  Son. 
3.  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  Which  doubtless  had  refer- 
ence to  theybrra  of  baptism  appointed  by  our  blessed  Saviour. 
He  therefore,  who  believes  aright,  and  in  a  right  manner, 
concerning  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  has  the  true 
Christian  faith,  and  is  himself  a  true  Christian  ;  and  so  is 
qualified  to  be  active  in  offering  up  himself  and  his  seed  to 
God  in  Christian  baptism.  But  some  of  the  chief  things, 
which  in  the  inspired  writings  we  are  taught  to*  believe  con- 
cerning the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  are  these,  which 
may  be  expressed  in  the  following  articles,  in  contrast  with 
the  Arminian  creed,  and  with  Mr.  M.'s. 


Thc'Christian  Creed. 

I.    Concerning  God  the 

Father. 

I  BELIEVE  that  the 
moral  character  of  God 
exhibited    in    the    moral  • 
law,  is  perfect  in  beauty, 
without  a  blemish.     And 


The 


Creed. 


1.    Concerning-  God  the 

Father. 

I  BELIEVE  that  it 
would  have  been  unjust 
in^God  to  have  held  man- 
kind after  the  fall  bound 
by  the  moral  law,  with- 


Mr.  Mather's  Creed1. 

1.    Concerning  God  the 

Father. 

I  BELIEVE  that  the 
moral  character  of  God, 
exhibited  in  the  moral 
law,  is  not  to  us  an  objeef. 
of  love ;  and  that  it  ii 


THE    ARM1NIAN,    AND    MR.    M.'S    CREED. 


•>  Tlte  Ctu-iatian  Creed.         The  Jtrminian   Creed.      Mr.  Mather't  Creed. 


that    eur    disaffection    to 
ihe  Deity  is  absolutely  in- 
txcusable    and    infinitely  j 
(triminal ;  and   justly  de-  ( 
serves  the  penalty  threat- ', 
encrl,   infinitely    dreadful 
as  it  is.     In  which  view, 
the    divine  law    is    holy, 
just,  and  good  ;  worthy  of 
the  highest  honour;  and 
the  salvation  of  the  Gos- 
pel   from    step    to    step, 
from  beginning  to  end,  is 
of  mere  grace. 


2.    Concerning  God  the 
Son. 

I  BELIEVE  that  Je- 
sus Christ,  in  character 
of  Mediator  between  God 
and  man,  loved  the  mo- 
ral character  of  his  Fa- 
ther, exhibited  in  the 
moral  law,  and  lived  and 
died  to  do  it  honour ; 
that  through  Lira  peni- 
tent believers  might  he 
saved,  consistently  with 
the  divine  justice,  and  to 
the  glory  of  divine  grace. 
And  in  this  view  Christ 
crucified  is  the  wisdom  of 
God,  and  the  power  of 
God. 

5.    Concerning  God  tte 
Jfoly  Ghost. 

I  BELIEVE  that  fal- 
len man  is  so  disaffected  to 
the  character  of  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Son,  that  no 
means  whatsoever  are 
sufficient  to  reconcile  us 
to  God,  without  the  re- 
generating influences  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  So  that 
•xcept  we  arc  born  again, 
we  cannot  see  the  king- 
dom of  God.  But  in  con- 
sequence of  the  regene- 
rating influences  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  by  which  the 
ireil  is  taken  off  from  our 
hearts,  we  behold  the  glo- 
ry of  the  Lord,  and  every 
answerable  affection  is 
excited  in  us,  A  ad  God 


out  any  abatement.  And 
that  therefore,  some  relief 
was  in  justice  due  to  a  fal- 
len world.  And  therefore, 
the  relief  granted  is  not 
wholly  of  grace ;  nor 
ought  it  be  acknowledged 
as  such  by  us.- 


2.    Concerning  God  the 
Son. 

I  BELIEVE  that 
Christ  died  to  purchase 
an  abatement  of  this  un- 
just law  5  and  to  procure 
•alvation  for  us  on  terms 
which  we  are  able  to 
comply  with,  by  his  as- 
sistance. 


not  a  duty,  but  a  sin,  for 
us  to  love  it :  even  con- 

i  trary  to  the  law  of  God. 

I  Because,  to  love  it  is  the 
same  thing  as  to  love  out- 
own  misery  However, 
God  has  giren  his  Son  to 
fulfil  this  law,  and  to  vin- 
dicate aud  maintain  the 
honour  and  dignity  of  his 
character  exhibited  in  it ; 
that  sinners  might  be  par- 
doned while  at  enmity 
against  it.  *p.  28.  41,42, 
43. 

2.    Concerning  God  the 
Son. 

I  BELIEVE  that  the 
character  of  God  exhibit- 
ed in  the  Gospel,  is  so  ac- 
commodated to  the  state 


and  temper  of  our  hearts, 


3.    Concerning  God  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

I  BELIEVE  that  all 
men  have  sufficient  assist- 
ance to  comply  with  the 
terms  of  salvation,  as.it 
would  be  unjust  to  re- 
quire more  than  we  can 
do,  without  granting 
needful  assistance  to  en- 
able us  to  do  it  And 
thus  die  injury  done  to 
us  I  IT  the  law  is  made  up 
by  the  Gospel.  And  in 
•this  view  the  divine  char- 
acter appears  amiable  in 
our  eyes.  And  all  man- 
kind might  love  it,  did 
they  but  know  it,  without 
any  new  principle  of 
grace.  See  Dr.  Steb- 
bins,  OB  tut  Operations 


'  that  we  shall  love  it  as 
soon  as  known,  without 
any  new  principle  of 
grace ;  and  even  while 
we  are  at  enmity  against 
that  character  of  God  ex- 
hibited in  the  law.  p.  2fc 
41—48. 


3.     Concerning  God  tins 
Holy  Ghott. 

I  BELIEVE  that  all 
needful  assistance  of  the 
holy  Spirit  is  promised  to 
all  baptised  persons,  to 
render  external  means 
effectual  to  salvation. 
But  light  is  all  that  is 
needful.  For  no  kind  of 
regeneration  will  bring 
t  In.-  human  heart  to  love 
that  character  of  God 
which  is  exhibited  in  the 
law :  and  the  character 
of  God  exhibited  in  the 
Gospel,  will  naturally  be 
loved,  as  soon  as  known, 
by  every  one,  without 
any  new  principle  of 
grace.  But  not  loved 
very  much  ;  for  I  beliefs, 


340 


REMARKS    ON    THE    CHRISTIAN, 


The  Christian  Creed. 

add  Christ  are  loved 
more  than  wives  and 
children,  than  houses  and 
lands ;  yea,  than  our  own 
Hves.  Whereby  we  are 
disposed  and  prepared  to 
deny  ourselves,  take  up 
our  cross,  and  follow 
Christ :  and  publicly  join 
•with  his  people,  and  es- 
pouse his  cause. 


The  Jlrminian  Creed. 

of  the  Spirit.    Dr.  Whit- 
by  on  the  five  points. 


Mr.  Mather's  Creed. 

that  not  more  than  one 
convert  in  a  hundred  can 
say,  with  a  good  con- 
science, that  he  loves 
God  at  all.  And  so  saints 
as  well  as  sinners  stand 
in  need  of  the  external 
covenant.  First  book,  p. 
39.  60.  Second  book,  p. 
45—48.78,  79,80,  81. 


Remark  1.  According  to  the  Arminian  creed,  mankind  are 
the  injured  party,  Christ  died  to  get  justice  done  us  ;  and  sim- 
ply to  have  justice  done  us  is  all  we  need  to  bring  us  to  be  at 
peace  with  God.  Let  the  terms  of  salvation  be  as  low  as  in 
justice  they  ought  to  be  ;  let  us  have  all  that  assistance  which 
in  justice  we  ought  to  have ;  and  we  need  no  more  :  the  rest 
we  will  do  ourselves.  But  for  God  to  do  us  justice,  is  not  an 
act  of  grace. 

2.  According  to  Mr.  Mather's  creed,  the  divine  law,  ante- 
cedent to  a  consideration  of  the  gift  of  Christ,  requires  us, 
on  pain  of  eternal  death,  to  do  that  which  is  not  our  duty  to 
do :  yea,  that  which  to  do,  in  us,  would  be  a  sinful  thing,  viz. 
to  love  God  with  all  our  heart.     And  so  Christ  fulfilled  a 
law,  in  our  stead,  which  it  was  not  our  duty  to  fulfil :  yea,  a 
law  to  obey  which,  in  us,  had  been   a  sinful   thing.     But  to 
pay  a  debt  for  us,  which  we  ourselves  did  not  owe,  was  need- 
less :  and  to  honour  a  law  which  requires  sin,  is  a  sinful 
thing. 

3.  The  divinity  of  God  the  Father  is  the  first  article  of  the 
Christian  creed,  and  so  much  the  foundation  of  the  whole 
Christian  system,  that  if  this  is  denied,  the  whole  will  sink  of 
course.     Or  in  other  words,  that  God,  the  Creator  and  moral 
governor  ot  the  universe,  is  an  absolutely  perfect,  and  infinite- 
ly glorious  and  amiable  Being,  infinitely  worthy  of  supreme 
love  and  universal  obedience'  from  his  creature  man,  is  the 
foundation  on  which  the  law  stands,  and  on  which  the  whole 
Gospel  scheme  is  built.     To  deny  this  point,  is  in   effect  to 
deny  the  whole  of  divine  revelation.    Atheism  is  at  the  bot- 
tom of  infidelity.    The  contrariety  of  the  carnal  mind   to 


THE  ARMINIAN,  AND  MR.  M.'S  CREED.  341 

God's  true  and  real  character,  is  at  bottom  of  Atheism.     The 
fool  saith  in  his  heart,  there  is  no  God. 

4.  It  was  wise  in  God,  even  at  the  expense  of  the  blood  of 
his  own  Son,  to  assert  nnd  maintain    the  honour  of  a  law, 
which  is  a  transcript  of  his  moral   character,  and   which  all 
his  apostate  creatures  join  to  hate  ;  because  in  this   he  does 
justice  to  himself,  and  to  his  government,  while  he  shows 
mercy  to  sinners.     But  enmity  against  the  divine  law  rea- 
ders us  blind  to  the  wisdom,  glory,  and  grace  of  the  Gospel, 
and  is  the  cause  of  unbelief.     1  Cor.  i.  18.  and  ii.  14.     Com- 
pared with  Rom.  viii.  7.  and  iii.  25.  and  vii.  12.     John  viii. 
42,  43. 

5.  He  who  understands  and  believes  the  Christian  creed, 
and  who  is  affected  and  acts  accordingly,  is  a  Christian  quali- 
fied for  baptism,  and  entitled  to  eternal  life.  Mat.  xiii.  23. 
Mark  xvi.  16.  John  xvii.  3. 

6.  He  who  believes  the  first  article  of  the  Christian  creed, 
with  a  living  faith,  has  what  Paul  means  by  repentance  to- 
ward God.     And  he  who  believes  the  second  article  of  the 
Christian  creed,  with  a  living  faith,  lias  what  Paul  means  by 
faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     A  belief  of  both  which 
is  implied  in  that  faith  by  which  a  sinner  is  justified.  Luke  iii. 

3.  and  v.  SI,  52.  and  xviii.  14.  and  xxiv.  47.  Acts  xx.  21. .Rom. 
iii.  19 — 26.  And  this  faith  is  the  first  grace,  and  the  sum, 
seed,  and  root  of  all  Christian  graces.  Mat.  xiii.  23.  And  is 
peculiar  to  the  regenerate.  Rom.  viii.  7.  1  John  v.  1.  1  Cor. 
i.   18.  and  ii.  14.  John  i.  13.  Luke  viii.  1 1 — 1,5.  And  is  eter- 
nal life  begun  in  the  soul.  John  xvii.  3. 

7.  The  love  of  the  truth  is  the  life  of  faith  ;  or  in  other 
words,  love  to  the  truth  believed  is  of  the  essence  of  a  living 
faith,  and  that  wherein  it  specifically  differs  from  the  faith 
of  devils,  or  a  dead  faith.  John  xvi.  27.  2  Thes.  ii.   10,  11, 
12.  Jam.  ii.  26.     And  therefore, 

b.  There  is  a  universal  inseparable  connexion  between  a 
living  faith,  and  a  holy  life,  (which  renders  assurance  attain- 
able by  believers  in  common.  Mat.  xiii.  €3.  Jam.  ii.  17,  18. 
1  John  ii.  3.)  So  that  those  words  are  strictly  true,  1  John  ii. 

4.  He  that  saith,  1  know  him,  and  ketpeth  not  his  command- 
ments, is  a  LIAR,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him.     But, 


342  REMARKS  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN,  &G. 

9.  The  faith  of  devils,  attended  with  a  lying  profession,  is 
not  that  qualification  for  baptism  which  our  Saviour  had  in 
view,  in  Mark  xvi.  16.  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptised  shall 
be  saved. 

10.  The  Gospel  may  be,  and  ought  to  be,  preached  to  all 
in  common,  even  to  every  creature,  let  their  character  be  ever 
so  vicious,  as  a  means  of  their  conversion  :  but  baptism  is  not 
to  be  administered  to  adults  until  they  believe,  and  profess 
their  faith  in  Christ,  and  obedience  to  him.  Mark  xvi.  15,  16. 
Acts  viii.  37.  Rom.  x.  9,  10. — For, 

11.  The  adult  person,  in  the  act  of  offering  himself  to  God 
in  baptism,  practically  declares,   that  he  devotes  himself  to 
God  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  so  puts  on  Christ.  Gal.  iii.  26, 
27.  But  a  false  and  lying  profession  is  condemned  by  God  in 
the  Old  Testament.  Psalm  Ixxviii.  36,  37.  Eccl.  v.  5.  and  by 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  new.     Luke  vi.  46.  Mat.  xxii.  12.  Luke 
xiv.  15 — 35.   1  John  ii.  4.  Rev.  ii.  2.  0-  And  is  a  means,  not 
of  salvation,  but  of  destruction,  Acts  v.  1 — 11. 

12.  The  adult  person,  who  is  unqualified  to  offer  himself  in 
baptism,  is  equally  unqualified   to  offer  his  infant  child  in 
baptism.     For  he  who  is  without  a  heart  to  devote  himself  to 
God,  is  equally  without  a  heart  to  devote  his  child  to  God. 

13.  Pride.,  in  ambitious  minds,  may  excite  veiy  strong  in- 
clinations to  make  a  false  profession  ;  but  a  well  enlightened 
conscience  never  will  dictate  this,  as  matter  of  duty. 

14.  It  is  the  indispensable  duty  of  every  one,  to  whom  the 
Gospel  comes,  to  become  a  real    Christian  without  delay  : 
and  then  without  delay  to  make  a  public  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity :  and  then  to  attend  the  seals.     But  to  seal  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  with  our  hands,  while  we  reject  it  in  our  hearts, 
is  to  act  deceitfully  with  our  Maker.     And  to  invent  a  new 
covenant  which  God  never  exhibited,  and  a  new  scheme  of 
religion  to  support  it,  which  God  never  revealed,  suited  to 
the  hearts  of  those  who  reject  the  covenant  of  grace,  and 
who  are  under  the  curse  of  the  covenant  of  works,  is  to  find 
a  resting  place  for  the  wicked. 


[     343     ] 


SECTION  X. 

Mr.  Mather's  scheme  of  religion  inconsistent  with  itself. 

OUR  author  professes  in  his  preface,  not '  to  be  fond  of  hi» 
own  judgment ;'  but  to  stand  (  ready  to  give  it  up/  when  any 
one  will  do  '  the  friendly  office  of  setting  light  before  him/ 
And  he  desires  that  if  there  be  any  '  material  mistakes'  in  his 
scheme,  they  may  be  '  pointed  out.'  It  is  therefore  to  be 
hoped,  that  he  will  not  be  displeased,  if,  in  addition  to  the 
1i%ht  already  set  before  him,  some  of  the  various  inconsistent 
sentiments  of  his  scheme  are  contrasted,  whereby  he  may  be 
further  assisted  to  discern,  that  his  scheme  must  be  wrong, 
some  where  :  for  the  truth  is  ever  consistent  with  itself. 

1.  In  his  first  book,  he  says,  (p.  59.)  'A  child  dedicated 
to  God  in  baptism  is  thereby  brought  into  covenant  with  God, 
and  has  a  promise  left  to  it  of  the  means  of  grace,  and  the 
strivings  of  God's  holy  Spirit,  in  order  to  render  them  effec- 
tual for  salvation.'     But  in  his  second  book,  he  says,  (p.  51.) 
That  they  must f  submit  to  a  sovereign  God.'     But  if  they 
have  *  a  covenant  right  to  the  strivings  of  the   holy  Spirit/  if 
they  have  *  a  promise,'  then  they  do  not  lie  at  God's  sove- 
reign mercy  in  the  case  ;  but  may   plead  the   covenant  and 
promise  of  God. 

2.  In  his  first  book,  (p.  8.)  he  endeavours  to  prove  that  the 
covenant  with  Abraham,  Gen.  xvii.  was  not  the  covenant  of 
grace,  because  '  it  might  be  broken.'     Which  implies,  that  it 
had  some  condition,  which,  if  not  fulfilled,  all  the  blessings  of 
it  would  be  forfeited.     But  in  his  second  book,  (p.   60,  61, 
6^.)  he  endeavours  to  prove,  that  the  covenant  with  Abra- 
ham, Gen.  xvii.  was   not   the   covenant  of  grace,  because 
it  had  no  conditions,  but  all  the  blessings  of  it  were  pro- 
mised to  Abaham  and   his  seed  (  absolutely  and  uncondi- 
tionally /  on  which  hypothesis  this  covenant  'could  not  be 
broken'.     But  his  two  books  are  not  only  inconsistent  with 
«ach  other,  but  this  last  book  is  inconsistent  with  itself.     And 


344  MR.  M'.S  SCHEME  OF  RELIGION 

tp  the  instances  which  have  already  been  taken  notice  of  in  the 
preceding  sections,  some  few  more  may  here  be  pointed  out. 

3.  That  man  must  be  a   moral  agent,  possessed   of  every 
qualification  essential  to  moral  agency,  previous,  and  in  order 
to  his  being  bound  by  God's  law,  is  a  fundamental  point 
with  Mr.  M.  p.  6.  .50,  8tc.  That  man  may  be  bound  by  the  mo- 
ral law  to  be  a  moral  agent,  to  have  the  qualifications  essen- 
tial to  moral  agency,  is  with  him  another  fundamental  point, 
p.  6.     But  as  these  two  fundamental  points  in  his  scheme  are 
inconsistent  with  each  other,  so  they  cannot  both  be  true.  He 
says, ( Self-love  is  essential  to  moral  agency  ;'  and  yet  this  es- 
sential qualification  of  a  moral  agent  '  is  a  duty   required  of 
us  by  God's  law.'  But  according  to  him,  the  law  cannot  bind 
us  unless  we  are  already  moral  agents.     Therefore  it  cannot 
bind  us  to  be  moral  agents.     For  then  a  man  need  not  be  a 
moral  agent,  previous,  and  in  order  to  his  being  bound  by  the 
moral  law  ;  which  yet  he  maintains. 

4.  He  says,  (p.  10.)  ( That  Adam,  by  becoming  guilty,  was 
totally  depraved,'  and  yet  according  to  him  Adam's  depravity 
was  not  total,  for  he  still  continued  to  exercise  that  love   to 
himself,  which  the  law  oj  God  requires,   in  a  conformity   to 
which  the  image  of  God  consisted,  in  which  he  was  created, 
p.  6.  and  p.  12.     '  Perhaps'  he  also  continued  to  exercise  to- 
ward God  '  the  love  of  esteem  and  benevolence.' 

5.  He  says,  (p.  6.)  That  the  divine  law  requires  us  *  to  love 
God  with  all  our  hearts,'  and  that  it  also  requires  us  '  to  love 
ourselves.'     And  he  adds,  that  this  '  self-love  is  absolutely  in- 
consistent with  the  fove  of  God.'     So  that,  according  to  him, 
the  divine  law  requires  of  us  in  our  guilty  stale,  two  duties,  iu 
their  own  nature  absolutely  inconsistent.     And  therefore  he 
boldly  affirms,  that  it  is  '  contrary  to  the  law  of  God'  for  us, 
while  in  our  guilty  state,  to  love  God  with  all  our  hearts  ;  and 
yet  he  says,  p.  51.  that  God  has  'given  us  his  law  to  show 
us  what  our  duty  is.'     Andlhat  we  are  justly  condemned  to 
eternal  misery  for  not  obeying  of  it.     And  this  law  he  calls 
*  a  glorious  law,'  and  the  character  exhibited  in  it  he   calls 
'  glorious ;'  and  even  supposes  that  the  Son  of  God  became 
incarnate,  lived,  and  died  to  '  honour  this  law,'  and  to  *  vindi- 
cate and  maintain  the  honour  and  dignity  of  the  divine  cha- 


INCONSISTENT  WITH  ITSELF.  34j 

racter  exhibited  in  it.'  p.  2'2.  26,  27,  28.  Whereas  for  God 
to  give  us  a  rule  of  duty,  requiring  things  in  their  own  na- 
ture absolutely  inconsistent,  on  pain  of  eternal  death,  would 
be  an  infinite  reproach  to  the  Deity.  And  to  give  his  Son  to 
die  to  do  honour  to  such  a  law,  would  be  inconsistent  with 
all  his  perfections.  And  yet  he  asserts  that  the  Gospel, 
which  is  supposed  to  reveal  this  shocking  scene,  is  '  glorious/ 
and  even  '  more  glorious  than  the  law  ;'  whereas,  if  his  scheme 
is  true,  there  is  no  glory  in  law,  or  Gospel  ;  unless  it  be  glo- 
rious to  require  inconsistencies  on  pain  of  eternal  death;  and 
glorious  to  do  the  highest  honour,  before  the  whole  intellec- 
tual system,  to  a  law  in  its  own  nature  contradictory. 

5.  He  represents  the  divine  law,  as  requiring  things  not 
only  inconsistent  in  their  own   nature  with  each  other ;  but 
also  inconsistent  with  our  moral  agency.      For  he  says,  p.  5. 
f  A  principle  of  self-love   is  essential   to   us  moral  agents/ 
And  yet  he  asserts  that  this  'self-love  must  be  totally  exclud- 
ed from  any  place'  in  the  heart  of  a  guilty  creature,  if  he 
loves  God.  p.  JO.  For  '  Love  to  God  and  self-love  are  abso- 
lutely  inconsistent.'     And  so,  according  to  him,  the  moral 
law  requires  of  us  that  love  to  God,  which   is  inconsistent 
with  our  being  moral  agents,  p.  50.  53.  And  yet,  according  to 
him,  if  we  are  not  moral  agents,  we  cannot  be  bound  by  the 
moral  law  to  any  obedience  at  all.     Therefore, 

6.  He  'is  necessitated  to  maintain,  that  man  by  the  fall 
ceased  to  be  a  moral  agent,  and  that  it  was  no  longer  his  duty 
to  love  God,  for  the  law  did  not  bind  him;  '  its  binding  autho- 
rity   respected   not  his  obedience.'      This  was  the  state  of 
Adam  before  the  revelation  of  a  Mediator,  '  because  it  was 
inconsistent  with    self-love   to  exercise  true   love  to  God.' 
p.  50.  And  he  asserts,  p.  IS.  that  *  mankind  at  this  day,  an- 
tecedent to  their  exercising  faith  in   Christ,  are  in  much  the 
same  condition  as  Adam   was  after  he  sinned.'     Particularly 
he  says,  p.  <2O.  '  that  they  are  under  the  same  inability  of 
loving  God  that  Adam  was/  viz.  It  is  '  absolutely  inconsist- 
ent with  that  self-love  which  is  essential  to  moral  agency.' 
And  therefore  the  unregenerate  are  not  moral  agents,  nor 

iiound  by  the  moral  law  to  obedience.     And  where  tlitre  is 
no  law,  thtreis  no  transgression.    And  therefore  Adam's  total 
VOL.  ill.  44 


346  MR.  M.'S  SCHEME  OF  RELIGION 

depravity  which  took  place  after  the  first  sin,  was  not  of  a 
criminal  nature  :  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  unregenerate 
now,  who  '  are  under  the  same  inability  'of  loving  God  that 
.Adam  was.'  And  therefore  total  depravity  does  not  disqualify 
for  sealing  ordinances. 

And  yet,  in  direct  contradiction  to  all  this,  he  affirms,  that 
the  unregenerate,  while  such,  are  moral  agents,  bound  bv  the 
law  to  the  same  perfect  obedience  which  was  required  of 
Adam  before  the  fall.  p.  53.  'This  I  will  readily  grant,  man 
is  a  moral  agent,  bound  by  the  moral  law  to  love  God  with 
all  his  heart ;  and  therefore  God  may  consistently  require 
this  of  him,  and  man  is  wholly  to  blame  for  not  loving/  For, 
p.  £7.  (  nothing  short  of  perfection  may  be  looked  upon  as 
the  whole  of  what  is  required.'  For  he  adds, '  to  suppose  that 
God  has  receded  from  his  original  demand  of  perfection, 
made  in  the  law,  implies  that  this  law  was  not  good/  which 
is  *  evidently  a  reflection  upon  the  divine  Being,  whose  law  it 
is,'  and  '  a  reproach  upon  Christ,  who  has  honoured  that 
law.'  And  accordingly  he  affirms,  p.  51.  That  '  God  has 
given  his  law  to  show  us  what  our  duty  is ;'  and  he  adds, 
p.  52.  '  That  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin.'  Which 
supposes  that  '  the  binding  authority  of  the  law  does  respect 
our  obedience/  as  much  as  it  did  Adam's  before  the  fall. 
.And  that  therefore  we  are  moral  agents  with  respect  to  the 
law  of  perfection,  as  really  as  he  was.  And  that  therefore  it  is 
not  inconsistent  in  any  child  of  Adam,  with  that  sell-love 
which  is  essential  to  moral  agency,  to  yield  a  perfect  obedi- 
ence to  the  moral  law.  And  that  therefore  we  are  not  all  de- 
praved by  nature.  For  this  supposed  inconsistency,  he  says, 
'  is  the  true  reason,  and  the  only  reason/  of  the  depravity  of 
our  nature.  For  had  it  not  been  for  this  inconsistency,  Adam 
would  have  continued  to  love  God  after  the  fall  as  he  did  be- 
fore, p.  44.  '  He  would  have  continued  still  to  exercise  the 
r  ^ 

same  delight  in  the  divine  perfections,  as  he  had  done  be- 
fore.' And  yet  he  had  said,  p.  10.  '  That  Adam,  b.  becom- 
ing guilty,  was  totally  depraved.'  And  if  he  was  totally  de- 
praved, and  if  total  depravity  and  moral  agency  are  consist- 
ent, if  God  *  may  consistently  require  us  to  love  God  with  all 
our  hearts/  and  if  we  '  are  wholly  to  blame*  for  not  loving  ; 


INCONSISTENT  WITH   ITSELF.  347 

then  our  total  depravity  is  totally  criminal.  But  to  persist 
obstinately  in  this  crime,  that  is,  to  continue  impenitent  and 
unreconciled  to  God,  after  all  the  means  used  with  us  by  God 
himself,  disqualifies  a  man  to  be  active  in  seal  ing  God's  cove- 
nant, for  the  same  reason  that  obstinacy  in  any  other  crime 
does.  Or  if  he  will  say,  '  to  love  God  is  the  same  thing  as 
to  love  misery,'  and  so  our  depravity  is  a  calamity,  but  not  a 
crime ;  then  he  must  say,  that  we  cease  to  be  moral  agents, 
and  the  law  ceases  to  bind  us  :  which,  to  use  his  own  words, 
'  implies  that  this  law  was  not  good,  which  is  evidently  a  re- 
flection upon  the  divine  Being,  whose  law  it  is,  and  a  re- 
proach upon  Christ,  who  has  honoured  that  law.' 

7.  Mr.  M.  is  very  zealous  for  ^preparatory  zoork,  and  to  have 
the  unregenerate  sinner  strive-  p.  47 — 54.  But  without  any 
consistence  with  himself.  For  on  his  scheme,  what  can  the 
sinner  consistently  strive  to  do  ?  not  to  love  that  character  of 
God  which  is  exhibited  in  the  law;  for  this,  according  to 
him,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  '  love  his  own  misery,5  which  is 
'  contrary  to  the  law/  and  in  its  own  nature  impossible.  Not 
to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is  revealed  in  the  Gos- 
pel ;  for  the  unenlightened  sinner  is  by  him  supposed  not  to 
know  it ;  p.  43.  and  to  love  an  unknown  character,  implies 
a  contradiction,  and  so  is  absolutely  impossible.  What  then 
would  Mr.  M.  have  the  sinner  do,  or  strive  to  do?  Let  us  at- 
tend to  his  own  words,  p.  51,  52.  God  *  has  given  us  his  law, 
not  only  to  show  us  what  our  duty  is ;  but  also  to  set  light 
before  us,  whereby  we  may  obtain  a  proper  conviction  of  our 
guilt.  By  the  law,  is  the  knowledge  of  sin.  He  has  repeat- 
edly commanded  them  to  consider  their  ways;  and  calls  up- 
on them  to  exercise  their  reason.  Come  now,  and  let  us  rea- 
son together,  saith  the  Lord.'  But  if  God  has  given  us  his 
law  to  show  us  what  our  duty  is,  and  if  by  the  law  is  the  know- 
ledge of  sin,  and  if  we  consider  this,  and  if  we  exercise  our  rea- 
son on  the  subject,  then  we  must  conclude,  that  it  is  now  every 
day  the  duty  of  all  mankind  to  love  that  character  ofGod  which 
is  exhibited  in  the  moral  law  ;  and  that  it  is  the  duty  of  all  to 
whom  the  Gospel  comes,  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  is 
revealed  in  the  Gospel;  and  that  it  is  exceeding  sinful  to  live 
io  the  neglect  of  these  duties.  But  if  a  sinner  should  thus  be- 


348  MR.    M.'S    SCHEME    OF    RELIGION 

gin  to  consider  ami  exercise  his  reason,  Mr.  M.  would  soon 
stop  him,  by  saying,  "  The  unenlightened  do  not  know  that 
character  of  God  which  is  revealed  in  the  Gospel,  and  so 
cannot  love  it :  and  to  love  that  character  of  God  which  ia 
revealed  in  the  law,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  love  their  own 
misery,  which  is  contrary  to  the  law,  and  ought  not  to  be 
done."  What  then  shall  the  sinner  do?  or  what  shall  he 
strive  to  do  ?  Mr.  M.  says,  (p.  51.)  that  (  such  a  conviction 
of  our  guilt,  and  just  desert  of  suffering  the  curse  of  the  law, 
as  shall  humble  us,  and  bring  us  to  submit  to  a  sovereign 
God,  is  necessary  to  fit  and  prepare  our  hearts  to  close  with 
Christ.'  But  by  what  means  shall  such  convictions  be  ob- 
tained ?  How  will  you  convince  the  sinner,  that  he  deserves 
eternal  damnation  for  not  continuing  in  all  things  written  in 
the  book  of  the  law  to  do  than,  particularly,  for  neglecting  to 
love  God,  while  he  firmly  believes,  that  '  the  love  of  God  and 
self-love  are  absolutely  inconsistent  ?'  and  that,  therefore  it  i* 
'  contrary  to  the  law/  which  requires  self-love,  to  love  God. 
The  more  the  sinner  considers,  and  exercises  his  reason,  the 
more  clearly  will  he  see  the  inconsistence  of  these  things.-^ 
Or,  will  Mr.  M.  tell  the  sinner,  (as  in  p.  53.)  to  strive  '  to  ob- 
tain those  discoveries  of  God  through  Christ,  by  which  he 
will  be  reconciled  to  God  ?'  But  why,  seeing  on  Mr.  M.'s 
scheme,  the  sinner  has  no  prejudices  against  this  character 
of  God  to  combat  and  strive  against,  but  is  naturally  disposed 
to  love  it,  as  soon  as  known  ;  why,  if  this  be  the  case,  should 
not  the  discoveries,  already  made  in  the  bible,  be  immediately 
received  and  embraced  ?  Did  not  Jacob  love  Rachel  the  first 
time  he  saw  her  ?  or  did  he  spend  two  or  three  months,  or  as 
many  years,  after  the  first  sight  of  her  person,  striving  for  a 
discovert/  of  her  btautt/  ? 

8.  Mr.  M.  says,  p.  9.  That  to  Adarn,  after  his  fall,  it  must 
appear  '  in  every  view,  inconsistent  with  the  divine  perfec- 
tions,' that  he  should  escape  the  curse  of  the  law.  But  in 
these  circumstances,  (p.  10.)  '  to  delight  in  God  was  the 
same  thing  as  to  delight  in  his  own  misery  ;'  and  therefore, 
he  adds,  ( that  Adam,  by  becoming  guilty,  was  totally  de- 
praved.' Because  now  '  the  love  of  God  and  self-love  were 
absolutely  inconsistent.'  And  he  says,  (p.  10.)  '  This  was 


INCONSISTENT    WITH    JTSELF.  549 

the  true  reason,  and  the  only  reason,  why  Adam  could  not 
love  God  after  the  fall.*     And  therefore  as  soon  as  a  door 
of  hope  was  opened  by  the  revelation  of  a  Mediator,  Adam 
instantly  returned  to  the  love  of  God.     '  And  there  is  nothing 
in  our  fallen  circumstances  to  prevent'  our  doing  so  too.    p. 
44.     And  that  without  any  new  principle  of  grace,     p.  48. 
But  if  these  things  are  true,  it  will  folio wr,    1.  That  as  soon 
as  any  man  believes  that  there  is  forgiveness  with  God  for 
sinners  through  Jesus  Christ,  he  will  cease  to  be  totally  de- 
praved :  because  now  '  the  true  reason,  and  the  only  reason,' 
of  his  total  depravity,  is  removed  :  and  therefore,  2.  Every 
man  who  believes  the  Gospel  to  be  true,  is  regenerate.     And 
therefore,  3.  Every  man  who  knows,  that  he  believes  the 
Gospel  to  be  true,  does  with  equal  certainty  know  that  he  is 
regenerate.     Because  this  belief  and  regeneration  are  infalli- 
bly connected,  according  to  Mr.  M.     But,  4.  According  to 
him,  '  none  but  such  as  profess  the  Christian  religion  ought 
to  be  admitted  into  the  church.'     And,  5.  According  to  him, 
none  ought  to  profess,  that  they  believe  the  Gospel  to  be  true 
unless  they  are  infallibly    certain  that  they  do  believe  it  to  be 
true.     For,  speaking  of  the  profession  which  is  made  when 
any  join  with  the  church,  he  says,  (p.  79.)  '  Suppose  a  man 
brought  into  a  civil  court,  as  a  witness  to  a  particular  fact ; 
and,  being  sworn,  should   positively  declare  the  thing  to  be 
fact:  and  after  he  comes  out  of  court,  his  neighbour  should 
ask  him,  whether  he  had  any  certain  knowledge  of  the  fact, 
about  which  he  had  given  his  evidence :  and  he  should  say, 
"  No,  I  am  not  certain  of  it  ;  but  1  hope  it  is  so,  it  is  my  pre- 
vailing opinion ;    although  I  must    confess,    I  have    many 
doubts  and  fears,  whether  there  is  any  truth  in  it,  or  not." 
Would  not  all  mankind  agree  to  call  such  a  one  a  perjured 
person,  who  had  taken  a  false  oath  ?'     No  one,  therefore,  ac- 
cording to  his  scheme,  may  profess  that  he  believes  the  Gos- 
pel to  be  true,  unless  he  is  infallibly  certain  of  the  fact,  that 
he  does  believe  it  to  be  true.     But  if  regeneration    and  this 
belief  are  infallibly  connected,  then   this  professor  must  be 
infallibly  certain  of  his  regeneration,  and  so  not  one  soul,  on 
Mr.  M.'s  scheme,  may,  or  can  be  admitted  into  the  chrurch, 
as  graceless.     And  thus  his  scheme  overthrows  itself. 


350  MR.  M.'S   EXTRAORDINARY    METHODS 

Nor  is  there  any  way  to  avoid  this,  but  for  Mr.  M.  to  say, 
"  A  man  may  be  infallibly  certain  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel, 
and  so  of  God's  readiness  to  be  reconciled  to  sinners,  as 
therein  revealed  ;  and  yet  after  ail  remain  totally  depraved, 
and  an  enemy  to  God."  But  to  say  this,  would  be  to  give 
up  the  fundamental  principle  on  which  his  whole  scheme  is 
built,  viz.  that  '  the  true  and  the  only  reason'  of  total  de- 
pravity, is  the  apprehension,  that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the 
divine  perfections  to  forgive  sin.  In  which  view  '  self-love 
and  the  love  of  God  are  inconsistent/  And  if  this  is  given 
up,  his  whole  scheme  sinks  of  course.  For  if  this  is  not  the 
true  and  only  reason  of  total  depravity,  he  is  wholly  wrong, 
from  the  foundation  to  the  top  stone.  And  if  an  apprehen- 
sion that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  divine  perfections  to  for- 
give sin,  is  the  true  and  onl.f  reason  of  total  depravity,  then  a 
belief  that  God  can  consistently  forgive  sin,  would  at  once 
regenerate  us.  For  it  is  an  old  maxim,  remove  the  cause  and 
the  tffect  will  cease.  Every  man,  therefore,  according  to  Mr. 
M.  who  believes  the  Gospel  to  be  true,  is  at  once  reconciled 
to  God.  Nor  may  any  be  received  into  the  church,  until 
they  believe  it  to  be  true.  And  so  no  graceless  man,  as  such, 
Can  be  admitted  into  the  church.  Because  no  infidel,  as 
such,  may  be  admitted.  And  all  but  infidels  are  regenerate, 
if  Mr.  M.'s  scheme  is  true.  And  then  the  scheme  of  religion 

O 

which  he  has  advanced,  in  order  to  support  the  external 
covenant,  were  it  true,  would  effectually  overthrow  the  grand 
point  he  had  in  view. 


SECTION  XL 

The  extraordinary  methods  "Mr.  Mather  has  taken  to  support 
his  scheme)  and  keep  himself  in  countenance. 

THE  ordinary  methods  of  supporting  religious  principles, 
by  Scripture  and  reason,  which  Mr.  M.  has  taken  to  support 
his  external  covenant,  we  have  already  attended  to.  And  I 


TO  SUPPORT  HIS  SCHEME.  351 

think  Mr.  M.  is  much  to  be  commended  for  coming  out  bold- 
ly, like  an  honest  maw,  and  giving  the  public  such  an  honest 
account  of  his  scheme  of  religion,  by  which  he  designed  to 
support  what  he  had  advanced  in  his  former  piece  concern- 
ing the  external  covenant.  If  every  writer  on  that  side  of 
the  question  would  do  the  same,  the  controversy  would  soon 
come  to  an  end. 

But  there  are  various  other  methods,  which  Mr.  M.  has  ta- 
ken to  keep  himself  in  countenance,  and  to  persuade  his  rea- 
ders that  his  scheme  is  right,  and  that  the  plan  is  wrong  on 
which  the  churches  in  JSew-England  were  formed,  when  this 
country  was  first  settled  :  and  particularly,  that  the  Synod  at 
Saybrook  were  wrong,  in  that  resolve  which  they  unani- 
mously came  into,  viz.  "  That  none  ought  to  be  admitted  as 
members,  in  order  to  full  communion  in  all  the  special  ordi- 
nances of  the  Gospel,  but  such  as  credibly  profess  a  cordial 
subjection  to  Jesus  Christ :"  Various  other  methods,  I  say, 
or  a  different  nature,  and  which  are  not  so  commendable. 

1.  One  extraordinary  method  he  takes  to  keep  himself  in 
countenance  is,  to  pretend  that  I  had  *  wholly  misrepresented 
his  sentiments,'  and  given  his  scheme  '  the  bad  name  of  a 
graceless  covenant,'  and  pointed  '  all  my  arguments,  not 
against  any  thing  that  he  had  written,'  nor  so  much  as  '  es- 
saved  to  confute  one  single  argument'  that  he  had  offered. 
This  pretence  is  very  extraordinary,  1.  Because,  if  his  cove- 
nant is  not  a  graceless  covenant,  it  will  not  answer  the  end 
by  him  proposed.  For  if  it  does  not  promise  its  blessings  to 
graceless  men,  as  such,  upon  graceless  conditions ;  then  grace- 
less men,  as  such,  with  only  graceless  qualifications,  cannot 
enter  into  it.  For  he  affirms,  that  none  can  consistently  pro- 
fess a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  without  the 
most  full  and  perfect  assurance,  p.  78,  79,  BO.  2.  This  pre- 
tence is  very  extraordinary,  because  he  had  in  his  first  book, 
(p.  58.)  declared  his  external  covenant,  in  express  terms,  to 
be  *  distinct  from  the  covenant  of  grace;'  and  in  this  second 
book  sets  himself  professedly  to  prove  the  same  point  over 
again,  p.  60,  61,  62.  But  if  his  external  covenant  is  '  distinct 
from  the  covenant  of  grace,'  it  is  either  the  covenant  of  works 
cr  a  graccliss  covenant,  or  a  covenant  which  requires  no  condi- 


5J2  MR.  M.'S  EXTRAORDINARY   METHODS 

tions  at  all :  for  no  other  sort  of  covenant  can  be  thought  of. 
But  if  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  is  absolute  and  uncondi- 
tional, then  a  Pagan,  a  Turk,  or  a  Jew,  as  such,  hath  as  good 
right  to  the  Lord's  table,  as  to  hear  the  Gospel  preached. 
And  if  his  external  covenant  is  the  same  with  the  covenant 
of  works,  then  no  mere  man  since  the  fall  is  qualified  to  join 
with  the  church.  And  if  his  external  covenant  is  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  then  no  graceless  man,  as  such,  is  qualified  to 
enter  into  it  and  seal  it.  It  is,  therefore,  nay,  it  must  be,  a 
graceless  covenant,  or  nothing  at  all.  3.  This  pretence  is  very 
extraordinary,  because  Mr.  M.  was  so  pinched  with  what  I 
had  advanced  against  his  scheme,  that  he  had  no  way  to  get 
*id  of  my  arguments,  but  to  deny  first  principles,  and  give  up 
the  doctrines  contained  in  the  public  approved  formulas  of 
the  church  of  Scotland,  and  the  churches  in  New-England, 
and  advance  a  new  scheme  of  religion,  never  before  published 
in  New- England.  And  why  did  not  he  point  out  at  least  one 
single  argument  of  bis,  which  he  judged  to  be  unanswered  ? 
Or  why  did  not  he  mention  one  single  instance,  wherein  I  had 
represented  his  covenant  to  be  more  graceless  than  it  was.* 
Or  what  need  was  there,  if  1  had  said  nothing  to  the  par- 
pose,  to  expose  himself  and  his  cause,  by  the  publication 
of  such  a  system  of  new  notions,  to  make  all  the  country 
stare  '  ? 

i  Mr.  M.  offered  five  arguments,  in  his  first  book,  (p.  7,  8.)  to  support  his 
external  covenant.  These  five  arguments  the  reader  may  find  answered,  in  my 
former  piece,  p.  16,  17,  18.  65,  66.  69.  And  if  he  will  read  my  piece  through, 
he  may  find  the  two  points  fully  proved,  which  I  undertook  to  prove,  on  which 
the  whole  controversy  turns,  viz.  That  there  is  but  one  covenant,  of  which  bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  supper  are  seals,  even  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  and  that  the 
doctrine  of  an  external  graceless  covenant  is  unacriptural.  Some  wonder  why 
Mr.  M.  did  not  make  a  particular  reply,  and  wonder  more  why,  instead  of  a 
particular  reply,  he  should  advance  such  an  inconsistent,  absurd,  shocking  scheme 
of  religion,  in  support  of  the  external  covenant,  which  instead  of  supporting, 
rather  tends  to  sink  it.  For,  say  they,  if  the  external  covenant  cannot  be  sup- 
ported without  going  into  this  schetne  of  religion,  we  will  give  it  up.  But  I 
wonder  not  at  Mr.  M.'s  conduct  in  all  this.  The  external  covenant  cannot  be 
supported  but  by  overthrowing  the  scripture  scheme  of  religion,  and  establishing 
Mr.  M.'s  scheme  in  its  room.  His  scheme  of  religion  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
support  his  external  covenant.  Without  the  introduction  of  Mr.  M.'s  new 
scheme  of  religion,  my  former  piece  can  receive  no  answer  at  all.  He  could  not 
be  silent.  He  must  take  this  way,  or  none  at  all. 


TO    SUPPORT    HIS    SCHEME. 

2.  The  loud  out-cry  wlncli  lie  makes  of  new  divinity,  new 
divinity,  is  another  of  the  extraordinary  methods  which  he 
takes  to  keep  himself  in  countenance.     And   it  is  very  ex- 
traordinary in  him,  to  raise  this  cry,  on  this  occasion,  in  an- 
swer to  me,  and  that  when  he  himself  was  writing  such  an  an- 
swer.    1.  Because  I  was  justifying  the  old  scheme,  on  which 
our  churches  in  this  country  were  originally  settled,  the  good 
old   way;  and   he    wrote  with   a  design  to  bring  in  anew 
scheme,  called  by  the  name  of  the  external  covenant,  both 
name  and  thing  unknown  in  all  the  public  formulas  approv- 
ed by  our  churches,  and  absolutely  inconsistent  with  some  of 
the  fundamental  articles  of  our  confession  of  faith,  and  cate- 
chisms, a.  Because,  in  order  to  justify  the  good  old  way,  and 
confute  his  new  scheme,  1  built  my  arguments  on  the  good 
old  protestant  doctrines  of  the  perfection  of  the  divine  law,  and 
total  depravity,  as  held  forth  in   scripture,  and  in  our  public 
formulas,  without  any  one  new  sentiment ;  yea,  without  express- 
ing old  sentiments  in  stronger  language  than  the  language 
of  Scripture,  and  of  that  confession  of  faith,  which  Mr.  M. 
himself  professes    to  believe.     While,  on  the  other  hand; 
Mr.  M.  was  writing  not  only  in  defence  of  a  new  scheme, 
but  endeavouring  to  justify  it  by  a  whole  system  of  new  divi- 
nity, never  before  advanced,  so  far  as  I  know,  in  New-Eng- 
land.    However,  it  is  not  entirely  new.     It  was  some  years 
ago  published  in  London,  by  Mr.  Cudworth,  and  an  answer  to 
it  was  printed  in  Boston,  17(>2,  in  An  Essay  on  ths  nature  and 
glory  of  the  Gospel,  before  referred  to. 

3.  Another  extraordinary  method  which  he  takes  to  keep 
himself  in  countenance,  is,  to  impute  the  most  absurd  and 
odious  doctrines  to  those  whom  he  opposes,  which  neither 
they,  nor  any  Christian  writer,  ever  believed,  to  be  true.     Par- 
ticularly, "  That  the  enmity  of  the  carnal  mind  against  God 
consists  in  disinterested  malice.  That  in  regeneration  new  na- 
tural faculties  are  created  in  us.  That  the  unregenerate,  being 
without  these  new  natural  faculties,  let  their  hearts  be  ever  so 
good,  are  under  a   natural  impossibility  of    hearkening  to 
the  call  of  the  Gospel.     That  we  must  be  willing  to  be  damn- 
ed  in  order  to  be  prepared  for  Christ.     That  Christ   has  no 
hand  in  our  reconciliation  to  God."    To  be  sure,  I  was  ne- 
ver,, in.  45 


354  MR.  M.'S  EXTRAORDINARY  METHODS 

ver  acquainted  with  any  man,  or  any  book,  which  held  these 
points.  Should  it  be  affirmed  concerning  a  very  poor,  and 
very  lazy  man,  that  although  he  is  convinced  in  his  comcitnce, 
that  it  is  his  duty  and  interest  to  be  industrious ;  yet  the  more 
he  thinks  of  it  the  more  averse  he  ft  els  to  it:  would  this 
amount  to  saying,  that  this  lazy  man  has  a  disinterested  ma- 
lice against  industry,?  Or  should  it  be  affirmed  concerning 
the  unregenerate,  that  God  hath  not  given  them  eyes  to  see  nor 
ears  to  hear;  would  this  amount  to  saying,  that  they  are  des- 
titute of  eyes  and  ears,  considered  as  natural  faculties,  and  so 
can  neither  see  nor  hear ;  and  therefore  are  not  at  all  to 
blame  for  their  spiritual  blindness  and  deafness  ?  Or,  should 
a  wise  and  good  father,  when  his  impudent  haughty  child, 
about  to  be  corrected  for  a  crime,  insolently  say,  well,  father, 
if  you  do  whip  me,  I  shall  never  love  you  again  as  long  as  I  live; 
should  a  wise  and  good  father  say  to  such  a  child,  '  You  de- 
•erve  to  be  whipped,  nor  will  I  ever  forgive  you  until  you  will 
own  that  it  is  good  enough  for  you,  and  that  it  is  not  a  blem- 
ish, but  a  beauty  in  your  father's  character,  to  be  disposed  to 
maintain  good  government  in  his  house,'  would  that  amount 
to  saying,  that  the  child  must  be  willing  to  be  whipped  in  order 
to  prepare  him  for  a  pardon  ?  Or,  if  by  the  regenerating  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit,  communicated  through  Jesus 
Christ,  the  only  Mediator,  as  the  fruits  of  his  purchase,  the 
holiness  and  justice  of  the  divine  nature  are  viewed  as  a  beau- 
ty in  the  divine  character,  by  the  true  penitent,  will  it  hence 
follow,  f  that  there  was  no  need  of  Christ  to  die,  or  to  be  ex- 
alted, that  through  him,  repentance  and  remission  of  sins 
might  be  given  unto  us,  consistently  with  the  divine  law.'  It 
is  true  that  there  is  no  need  of  Christ  to  make  us  amends  for 
the  injury  done  us  in  the  divine  law,  and  so  to  reconcile  our 
angry  minds  to  the  Deity,  and  bring  us  to  forgive  our  Maker. 
Such  a  Christ  would  suit  the  taste  of  a  carnal  heart.  But  a  true 
penitent,  having  a  new  tastej  already  grants  that  God  and  his 
law  are  wholly  right,  perfect  in  beauty,  without  a  blemish, 
prior  to  the  consideration  of  the  gift  of  Christ :  and  this  pre- 
pares him  to  see  the  wisdom  and  grace  of  God,  in  giving  his 
Son  to  die  upon  the  cross,  in  the  manner,  and  for  the  purpose, 
«et  forth  in  the  Gospel.  Rom.  iii.  25.  1  Cor.  i.  18. 


TO    SUPPORT    HIS    SCHEME.  8J5 

4.  Another  extraordinary  method  Mr.  M.  has  taken,  is  to 
insinuate,  that  the  sacramental   controversy  turns  on  these 
absurd  doctrines.     Whereas,  in  truth,  he  cannot  produce  an 
instance  of  any  one  writer,  on  our  side  of  the  question,  who 
ever  believed  these  absurd  doctrines,  much  less  ever  built  his 
arguments  on  them.     Let  him  read  Mr.  Richard  Baxter,  Dr. 
Watts,  Dr.  Guise,  Dr.  Doddridge,  Mr.  Henry,  Mr.  Flavel, 
and  look  through  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  and 
Catechisms,  and  read  over  President  Edwards,  Mr.  Green, 
and  others  in  these  parts  of  the  world,  who  have  written  on. 
the  subject,  and  he   will  not  find  a  syllable  to  countenance 
him  in  such  an  insinuation.      Nay,  the  chief  of  the  argu- 
ments used,  by  writers  on  our  side  of  the  question,  are  con- 
clusive, to  prove  that  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are  seals 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  of  no  other  covenant,  without 
entering  into  any  dispute  about  the   perfection   of  the  divine 
law,  total  depravity,  regeneration,   &c.  &c.     The  point  is  so 
clear  and  plain,   that  Calvinists,    Arminians,   Neonomians, 
Arians,  &c.  have  agreed  in  this,  while  they  have  differed  in 
almost  every  thing  else.     If  we  may  believe  Dr.  Increase 
Mather,  it  was,  in  his  day,  the  'common  doctrine'  of  pro- 
testants  in  opposition  to  papists,  '  that  it  is  a  justifying  faith 
only  which  giveth  right  to  baptism  before  God/  how  much 
soever  they  differed  in  other  matters.     And  as  to  all  the  or- 
thodox, the  celebrated  Dr.  Van  Mastricht,  in  his  Treatise  on 
Regeneration,  says,  '  As  to  the  baptism  of  adults,  that,  if  right- 
ly administered,  doth  bv  the  consent  of  all  the  orthodox,  cer- 
tainly presuppose  regeneration  as  already  effected.' But 

this  leads  me  to  observe, 

5.  Another  very  extraordinary  method  Mr.  M.  takes  to 
keep  himself  in  countenance,  is  by  misrepresenting  that  plan, 
unanimously  agreed  to  by  the   synod   at  Say  brook,  and  on 
which  the  churches  in  New-England,  in  general,  were  formed 
at  the  first  settling  of  the  country,  which  alone  I  was  endea- 
vouring to  justify,  4  as  a  very  groundless  and  unreasonable 
notion  of  the  Anabaptists,  in  which  Dr.   Bellamy  and  a  few 
others  have  joined  with  them.'    p.  66.    And  at  the  same  time 
claiming  the  Westminster  assembly,  Mr.  Shepard,  Mr.  Jona- 
than Dickinson,  and  Mr.  Peter  Clark,  AS  friendi  to  his  erter- 


356  MR.    M/S   EXTRAORDINARY    METHODS 

nal  covenant.     So  that  one  would  think,  that  searce  any  are 
on  our  side  of  the  question,  but  the  Anabaptists.     Now  this 
is  very  extraordinary  in  Mr.  M.     1.   Because,  in  his  former 
book  he  speaks  a  very  different  language,  well  knowing  hovr 
the  matter  really  stands,  (p.  69.) — '  Shall  I  then  prevail  with 
them,  to  lay   aside  all  prejudice,  all   attachment  to  received 
maxims,  all  veneration  for  great  names.'     For  he  had  before 
him  the  sentiments  of  the  protestant  world,  collected  by  the 
late  learned  Mr.  Foxcrott,  in  an  appendix  to  president  Ed- 
wards' Inquiry,  &,c.     And  he  well  knew  that  received  maxims 
and  great  names,  stood  in  the  way  of  his  new  scheme.     2.  It  is 
very  extraordinary  that  he  should  say,  that  his  external  coi'e- 
nant  is  included  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  described   by    the 
assembly  of  divines  at  Westminster,  (p.  61.)  when,  as  has  been 
before  shown,  the  doctrines  of  the  perfection  of  the  divine 
law,  and  of  total  depravity,  as  held  by  that  assembly,  are  in- 
consistent with  the  existence  of  his  external  covenant.     And 
in  their  Confession  of  Faith,  (chap.  2Q.)  they,  say  '  all  ungodly 
persons,  as  they  are  unfit  to  enjoy  communion  with  him,  so 
are  they  unworthy  of  the  Lord's  table,  and  cannot,  without 
great  sin  against  Christ,  while  they  continue  such,  partake  of 
these  holy  mysteries,  or  be  admitted  thereto.'     Whereas,  the 
very  professed  design  of  his  external  covenant  is  to  open  a 
door,  that  ungodly  men,  as  such,  should  be  admitted  to  par- 
take of  these  holy  mysteries.     And,  3.  It  is  equally  extraordi- 
nary that  he  should  pretend  that  Mr.  Jonathan  Dickinson 
was  a  friend  to  his  external  covenant,  when,  in  his  Dialogue 
on  the  Divint  right  of  Injant  Baptism,  he  proves  that  the  co- 
venant with  Abraham,  Gen.  xvii.  was  the  covenant  of  grace 
itself,  in  opposition  to  the  Anabaptists,  who,  with  Mr.  M. 
maintain  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  Gen.  xvii.  was  not  the 
covenant  of  grace.     And,  having  proved  that  covenant  to  be 
the  covenant  of  grace,  then  proceeds,  on  this  hypothesis,  to 
prove  the  divine  right  of  infant  baptism.     Dr.  Gill  wrote  an 
answer  to  this  piece  of  Mr.  Dickinson's :  Mr.  Peter  Clark 
wrote  a  reply  to  Dr.  Gill,  in  which  he  spends  above  a  hun- 
dred pages  in  proving  the  covenant  in  Gen.  xvii.  to  be  '  a  pure 
covenant  of  grace,'  in  answering  Dr.  Gill's  objections,  which 
are  the  same  for  substance  with  Mr.  M.'s  Five  Arguments,  in 


TO    SUPPORT    HIS    SCHEME. 

his  first  book,  (p.  7,  8.)  and  in  establishing  infant  baptism  on 
this  foundation.  And  he  expressly  affirms,  (p.  208.)  '  Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom, 
of  God.  And  if,  without  regeneration,  no  man  can  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God,  then  surely  not  into  covenant  with  God.' 
Bui  the  unregenerate,  as  such,  can  enter  into  covenant  with 
God,  on  the  plan  of  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant.  And  yet 
Mr.  M.  pretends  that  there  is  '  no  material  difference'  be- 
tween these  authors  and  his  scheme.  But,  4.  It  is  more  ex- 
traordinary still,  that  Mr.  M.  should  bring  in  Mr.  Shepard 
as  a  friend  to  his  external  covenant,  when  the  piece  he  refers 
to,  (p.  6l.)  is  not  wrote  on  Mr.  M.'s  scheme,  but  on  a  scheme 
essentially  different;  and  when  Mr.  Shepard,  in  his  sermons 
on  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins  has  so  plainly  declared  his 
mind.  These  are  his  very  words :  attend  to  them,  candid 
reader,  and  say,  was  Mr.  Shepard  in  Mr.  M.'s  scheme  ? 

'  We  may  see  hence  one  just  ground  of  that  diligent  and 
narrow  search  and  trial,  churches  here  do  or  should  make  of 
all  those  whom  they  receive  to  be  fellow-members.  The  Lord 
Jesus  will  make  a  very  strict  search  and  examination  of  wise 
and  foolish,  when  he  comes,  and  will  put  a  difference  be- 
tween them  then.  May  not  men  nor  churches  imitate  the 
Lord  Jesus  according  to  their  light  now  ?  If  indeed  all  the 
congregation  of  the  baptised  were  holy,  then,  as  Korah  said, 
they  take  too  much  upon  them.  If  Christ  at  his  coming,  would 
make  neither  examination,  nor  separation,  not  only  of  peo- 
ple baptised  at  large,  but  of  professors,  and  glorious  profes- 
sors of  his  uulh  and_name;  if  churches  were  not  set  to  dis- 
cern between  harlots  and  virgins,  foolish  virgins  and  wise,  as 
much  as  in  them  lies,  that  so  some  of  the  glory  of  Christ  may 
be  seen  in  his  churches  here,  as  well  as  at  the  last  day  ;  then 
the  gate  might  be  opened  wide,  and  flung  off  the  hinges  too, 
for  all  comers;  and  you  might  call  the  churches  of  Christ 
the  inn  and  tavern  of  Christ  to  receive  all  strangers,  if  they 
will  pay  for  what  they  call  for,  and  bear  scot  and  lot  in  the 
town,  and  not  the  house  and  temple  of  Christ  only  to  enter- 
tain his  friends.  But,  (beloved,)  the  church  hath  the  keys  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and  what  they  bind  and  loose,  fol- 
lowing the  example  and  rule  of  Christ,  is  bound  and  loosed  in 


358  MR.  M.'S  EXTRAORDINARY  METHODS 

heaven,  and  they  judge  in  the  room  of  Christ.  1  Cor.  v.  4,  .5. 
2  Cor.  ii.  11.  Whom  the  church  casts  out,  and  bids  depart  to 
satan,  Christ  doth.  Whom  the  church  receives  to  itself, 
Christ  doth.  We  should  receive  in  none  but  such  as  have 
visible  right  to  Christ,  and  communion  of  saints.  None  have 
a  right  to  Christ  in  his  ordinances,  but  such  as  shall  have 
communion  with  Christ  at  his  coming  to  judge  the  world. 
Hence,  if  we  could  be  so  eagle-eyed  as  to  discern  them  now 
that  are  hypocrites,  we  should  exclude  them  now,  as  Christ 
will,  because  they  have  no  right.  But  that  we  cannot  do  ;  the 
Lord  will  therefore  do  it  for  his  churches.  But  yet  let  the 
churches  learn  from  this  to  do  what  they  can  for  the  Lord 
now. — The  apostle  gives  a  sad  charge,  Heb.  xii.  15.  Look 
diligently,  test  a  root  ot  bitterness  grow  up.  The  apostle  doth 
not  say,  it  is  no  matter  what  roots  you  set  in  Christ's  garden ; 
only  when  they  spring  up,  and  begin  to  seed  and  infect 
others,  then  have  a  care  of  them  :  but  look  there  be  not  a 
root  there. — Look  diligently  to  it. —  It  is  ill  counsel  to  the  gar- 
dener to  say,  Have  a  care  to  weed  your  garden  ;  but  it  is  no 
matter,  God  looks  not  that  you  should  be  careful  of  your  seed, 
so  long  as  it  be  seed.  Nay,  the  Lord  that  forbids  me  to  suf- 
fer weeds  to  grow,  forbids  my  carelessness  in  sowing  what 
seeds  I  please.  It  is  the  judgment  of  some  divines,  that  th* 
first  sin  of  Adam  and  his  wife,  was  in  suffering  the  serpent  to 
enter  into  the  garden,  uncalled  for.  The  ruin  of  a  church 
may  be  the  letting  in  of  some  one  ill  member. 

'  Objection.  But  the  primitive  church  never  received  in  any 
with  such  strict  confessions,  and  large  examination  ;  three  thou- 
sand in  a  day  were  admitted. 

'Am.  I  remember  a  godly  divine,  in  answering  an  objec- 
tion of  late  repentance  from  the  example  of  the  thief;  hav- 
ing whipt  it  with  many  other  rods,  at  the  last  lasheth  it  with 
this,  it  is  an  extraordinary  case  ;  and  hence  not  to  be  brought 
in  for  an  ordinary  example.  Hence  he  speaks  thus  ;  when 
therefore  the  time  comes  that  Christ  shall  come  and  be  cru- 
cified again,  and  thou  one  of  the  thieves  to  be  crucified  with 
him,  and  it  fall  out  that  thou  be  the  best  of  the  two,  then 
shalt  thou  be  saved  by  Christ,  that  despising  Christ  now,  puts 
off  thy  repentance  till  then  ;  so  I  say  here,  there  is  somewhat 


TO  SUPPORT  HIS  SCHEME. 

imitable  and  ordinary  in  the  apostle's  example,  in  admitting 
three  thousand  in  a  day,  hut  something  unusual,  and  far  differ- 
ent from  our  condition  now  ;  and  therefore  that  I  would  say, 
when  the  time  comes,  that  the  spirit  is  poured  out  on  all  flesh  -, 
and  that  time  is  known  to  be  the  spring-tide,  and  large  mea- 
sure of  the  Spirit,  when  ministers  are  so  honoured  as  to  con- 
vert many  thousands  at  a  sermon ;  and  so  God  and  reason 
call  for  quickness;  when  elders  of  churches  are  as  sharp- 
sighted  as  the  apostles,  when  the  conversion  of  men  also  shall 
he  most  eminent,  and  that  in  such  places  where  it  is  death,  or 
half  hanging,  to  profess  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  as  that  they  shall  be 
pricked  at  their  hearts,  gladly  receive  the  word,  lay  down 
their  necks  on  the  block,  cast  down  all  their  estates  at  the 
church's  feet,  out  of  love  to  God's  ordinances ;  when  men 
shall  not  have  Christian  education,  the  example  and  crowd 
of  Christians,  from  the  teeth  outwardly,  to  press  them  to  the 
door  of  the  church,  as  those  times  had'not;  then,  for  my  part, 
if  three  hundred  thousand  were  converted,  I  should  receive 
them  as  gladly,  and  as  manifestly,  as  they  receive  Christ. 
But  truly  there  is  such  little  takings  now,  that  we  have  leisure 
enough  to  look  upon  our  money,  and  the  hypocrisy  of  the 
world  gives  us  good  reason  to  stay  and  see.'  Mr.  Sbepard's 
sermons  on  the  parable,  &c.  part  2.  p.  184,  &c.  This  ser- 
mon was  preached  at  Cambridge,  near  Boston,  about  the 
year  1640,  and  so  about  130  years  ago,  ten  years  after  they 
began  to  settle  Boston,  by  one  of  the  most  godly  and  most 
celebrated  ministers  then  in  the  country,  a  few  years  before 
his  death.  And  this  passage  shows  us  the  spirit  of  the  godly 
in  New-England,  in  those  early  days.  And  to  all  godly 
people  in  the  country,  the  name  of  Mr.  Shepard  is  precious 
to  this  day,  and  Mr.  M.  knew  it;  and  therefore,  to  keep  him- 
self in  countenance,  thinks  fit  to  bring  in  him  as  a  friend  to 
his  external  covenant.  But  is  not  this  an  extraordinary  me- 
thod? To  omit  the  rest,  we  will  mention  but  one  instance 
more. 

(j.  Another  extraordinary  method  Mr.  M.  takes  to  support 
his  scheme,  is  to  bring  arguments  against  us,  built  on  princi- 
ples which  he  himself  does  not  believe  to  be  true;  and 
which,  if  they  were  true,  would  infallibly  overthrow  his  own 


S60  MR.  M.'S  EXTRAORDINARY  METHODS 

scheme.  Nay,  and  persist  in  such  arguments,  after  their  falla- 
cy has  been  pointed  out,  without  saying  one  word  in  excuse 
for  such  a  piece  of  conduct. 

Thus  he  insists  upon  it,  that  if  infants  may  have  the  seal  of 
the  covenant  without  saving  grace,  then  also  may  the  adult. 
And  therefore,  saving  grace  is  not  needful  to  qualify  any  one 
for  sealing  ordinances.  And  therefore,  the  covenant  to  be 
sealed,  is  not  the  covenant  of  grace,  but  an  external  covenant, 
'  distinct  from  the  covenant  of  grace,'  which  only  requires, 
as  a  necessary  qualification  for  sealing  ordinances,  that  sin- 
ners should  be  under  such  *  convictions,'  as  to  ( come  to  a 
fixed  resolution  to  forsake  all  known  sin,  and  practise  all 
known  duty.'  But  have  all  infants  these  convictions,  and 
such  a  fixed  resolution?  Does  he  believe  they  have?  Is 
there  any  evidence  of  it?  No  ;  he  does  not  believe  they  have. 
Nor  is  there  any  evidence,  that  there  ever  was  one  infant 
since  the  world  began,  that  had  these  comictions,  and  such 
a  fixed  resolution.  What  then  does  Mr.  M.  mean?  Does 
he  mean  to  give  up  infant  baptism  ?  no,  by  no  means.  What 
then  does  he  mean  ?  Odd  as  it  is,  he  means  to  confute  our 
scheme  by  an  argument  which  confutes  his  own  ;  i.  e.  by  an 
argument,  built  on  a  principle  which  he  himself  does  not  be- 
lieve to  be  true,  viz.  That  the  same  qualifications  are  necessa- 
ry in  infants  as  in  tht  adult,  to  qualify  them  for  baptism. 
For  Mr.  M.  does  not  believe  this  principle  to  be  true.  For 
he  does  not  believe  that  infants  need  any  qualification  at  all. 
And  yet  he  does  believe  that  the  adult  must  have  some  quali- 
fication. Now  how  extraordinary  is  it,  fora  man  of  learning 
to  conduct  thus  ;  and  to  go  on  and  persevere  in  this  conduct 
without  a  blush,  or  the  least  excuse,  in  the  sight  of  all  the 
country,  after  the  absurdity  had  been  pointed  out  before  his 
eyes,  in  my  former  book,  p.  64,  60,  66. 

And  thus  again,  he  insists  upon  it,  that  if  saving  grace  is 
necessary,  then  no  man  din  with  a  good  conscience  join  with 
the  church,  without  assurance,  an  assurance  equal  to  that  cer- 
tainty which  we  have  of  facts,  which  we  see  with  our  own 
eyes,  and  to  the  truth  of  which  we  can  give  oath  before  any 
civil  court,  p.  78,  79.  But  'ninety-nine  in  a  hundred  of 
true  believers'  are  destitute  of  this  assurance,  he  says,  (p.  80.) 


TO  SUPPORT  HIS  SCHEME. 

and  therefore,  saving  grace  is  not  needful.  Nothing  more  is 
needful,  than  to  come  to  a  fixed  resolution  to  forsake  all 
known  sin  and  practise  all  known  duty.  But  does  Mr.  M. 
believe  that  no  man  can,  with  a  good  conscience,  join  with 
the  church,  without  being  thus  infallibly  certain  that  he  has 
the  requisite  qualifications?  for  on  the  supposed  truth  of  this 
proposition  is  his  argument  built.  But  does  Mr.  M.  believe 
this  proposition?  does  he  teach  his  people  to  believe  it?  had 
all  his  church-members  this  high  degree  of  infallible  assur- 
ance, that  they  had  the  requisite  qualifications,  when  they 
joined  with  the  church  ?  and  have  they  the  infallible  assur- 
ance every  time  they  attend  sealing  ordinances  ;  an  assurance 
equal  to  that  certainty,  which  they  have,  that  they  ever  saw 
the  sun  shine  !  That  they  '  are  come  to  a  Jlxed  resolution  to 
forsake  all  known  sin,  and  practise  all  known  duty  ?  Does  he 
insist  upon  it  in  his  public  preaching,  and  in  his  private  in- 
structions, that  without  this  high  degree  of  assurance,  without 
this  infallible  certainty,  they  cannot  with  a  good  conscience 
come  to  baptism  or  to  the  Lord's  table?  that '  they  are  guilty 
of  gross  prevarication,  and  double-dealing  with  God,'  if  they 
do?  p.  82.  Because  no  man  ought  to  come  without  this  in- 
fallible certainty,  that  he  has  the  requisite  qualifications  : 
I  say,  does  Mr.  M.  believe  these  things  himself  ?  or  does 
he  teach  them  to  his  own  people  ?  I  appeal  to  his  con- 
science. 1  appeal  to  his  people,  for  my  witnesses.  Mr.  M. 
does  not  believe  that  men  must  have  this  infallible  certainty, 
that  they  have  the  requisite  qualifications,  in  order  to  attend 
sealing  ordinances  with  a  good  conscience.  Nor  does  he 
teach  this  doctrine  to  his  people.  What  then  does  he  mean, 
in  all  he  says  upon  this  subject  to  us  ?  Why,  he  means  to  con- 
fute our  scheme,  by  an  argument  built  on  a  principle  which 
he  does  not  believe  to  be  true ;  and  which,  were  it  true, 
would  effectually  overthrow  his  own  scheme.  And  all  this, 
after  the  fallacy  of  this  manner  of  reasoning  had  been  pointed 
out  before  his  eyes,  as  clear  as  the  sun,  in  Mr.  Edwards'  last 
piece  on  the  sacramental  controversy,  to  which  no  answer  has 
ever  been  made.  Now  is  it  not  extraordinary,  that  a  man  of 
so  good  sense,  should  urge  against  us  arguments  built  on 
principles  which  he  himself  does  not  believe;  and  which,  if 
VOL.  in.  46 


30C2  MR.  M/S  EXTRAORDINARY  METHODS 

they  were  true,  would  effectually  overthrow  his  own  scheme: 
For  no  unregenerate  man  in  this  world  is,  or  ever  was,  or  ever 
will   be,   while  such,  infallibly  certain,  as  he  is  of  what  he 
sees  with  his  eyes,  that  his  resolution  to.  forsake  all  known  sin, 
and  practise  all  known  duty,  is'  fixed/  so  that  his  religion  will 
not:  prove  like  that  of  the  stony  and  thorny  ground  hearers. 
For  if  the  common  protestant  doctrine  of  the  saints'  persever- 
ance is  scriptural,  yet  Mr.  M.  does  not  believe  the  doctrine 
of  the  perseverance  of  graceless  sinners,  in  their  religious  reso- 
lutions, is  taught  in  scripture.  So  that  there  is  no  possible  way 
in  which  an  awakened  sinner  can  be  certain  that  his  resolu- 
tion is  '  fixed,'  without  an  immediate  revelation  from  hea- 
ven, to  give  him  this  assurance.     But  Mr.  M.  does  not  be- 
lieve, that  an  immediate  revelation  from  heaven   ever  was, 
or  ever  will  be,  made  for  this  purpose.     But  he  well  knows, 
that  without  any  such  revelation,  Peter  was  able  to  say,  Lord, 
thou  knowest  all  things,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.     And 
he  well  knew  that  the  saints  in  the  apostolic  age  are  spoken 
of,  without  exception  as  having  received  the  spirit  of  adoption, 
whereby  they  cried  Abba,  Father  ;  with  an  assurance  that  they 
fctre  the  children  of  God.     Rom.  viii.  14,  15,  16.     Nor  is 
there  one  instance,  among  all  the  apostolic  converts,  that  can 
be  mentioned,  of  a  doubting  saint.     Nor  does  it  appear,  by 
the  acts  of  the  apostles,  or  by  their  epistles,  but  that '  assur- 
aftce  did  in  those  days  attend  the  first  acts  of  faith  among  all 
their  converts.'     See  Acts  ii.  41—47-  and  viii.  39.  and  x.  44 
— 47.  and  xvi.  30 — '34.     For,  to  use  the  apostolic  language, 
"  Being  justified,  by  faith,  they  had  peace  with  God,  and  re- 
joiced in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God  :  because  the  love  of  God 
was  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost."    Rom. 
v.  15.    And  they  knew  that  they  had  passed  from  death  to 
life.     1  John  iii.  14.    And  this  renders  the  conduct  of  Mr, 
M.  so  much  the  more  extraordinary,  that  he  with  so  much 
zeal,  should  push  an  argument,  which,  were  it  well  grounded, 
is  much  more  against  his  own  scheme  than  it  is  against  the 
apostolic  practice.     For  it  does  not  appear  but  that  their 
converts  universally  knew  that  tluy  were  passed  from  death  to 
fife.     Whereas  it  is  capable  of  full   proof,   that  no  one  unre- 
gcnerate  man  ever  did  know  that  his  religious  resolutions 


TO    SUPPORT    HIS    SCHEME.  363 

were  •  fixed/  so  that  his  goodness  should  not  be  as  the  morn- 
ing cloud  and  as  the  early  dew,  which  quickly  passeth  away. 
Besides,  we  are  naturally  as  conscious  of  our  volitions  and 
affections,  as  we  are  of  our  speculations ;  and  therefore  we  are  as 
capable  of  knowing  what  we  choose  and  love,  as  what  we 
believe:  and  therefore,  we  may  as  well  know  that  we  love 
God  and  Christ,  if  we  really  do,  as  know  that  we  have  right 
speculative  ideas  of  the  true  and  real  character  of  God  and 
Christ,  and  of  the  doctrines  of  revealed  religion,  in  which 
they  are  exhibited.  Many  are  confident  they  believe  aright, 
who  are  heretics ;  and  many  are  confident  they  love  aright, 
who  are  hypocrites  :  and  yet  this  hinders  not  but  that  true 
saints,  who  believe  aright,  and  love  in  sincerity,  may  know 
it:  and  know  the  one  as  well  as  the  other.  And  it  cannot 
be  proved,  but  that  there  are  as  many  who  have  doubts 
about  the  truth  of  Gospel  doctrines,  as  there  are  that  have 
doubts  about  the  sincerity  of  their  love  to  Gospel  doctrines. 
It  cannot  be  proved,  that  there  is  one  professor  who  doubts 
the  sincerity  of  his  love,  who  has  an  infallible  assurance 
which  is  the  right  scheme  of  religion,  among  all  the  schemes 
in  vogue.  It  is  very  evident,  that  there  is  a  great  degree  of 
scepticism  among  the  professors  of  Christianity  in  this  age, 
and  as  much  among  the  learned  as  among  the  unlearned  ; 
as  is  obvious  to  every  one  who  is  acquainted  with  books  and 
men.  And,  for  aught  that  appears,  it  might  be  as  difficult 
to  find  men  who  believe  Christianity  to  be  true,  real  Chris- 
tianity I  mean,  to  that  degree  as  to  have  no  doubts  about 
what  is  truth  ;  as  to  find  men  that  love  it,  so  as  to  have  no 
doubts  about  their  love.  This  is  certain,  that  it  was  the  con- 
stant doctrine  of  Mr.  Stoddard,  that  no  unregenerate  man  does 
know  the  Gospel  to  be  true,  as  every  one  knows  who  is  ac- 
quainted with  his  writings.  And  it  is  also  certain,  that  in 
the  apostolic  age,  it  was  the  universally  received  doctrine  of 
the  whole  Christian  church,  that  whosoever  believeth  that  Je- 
ws is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God.  I  John  v.  1.  And  it  was 
in  that  age  believed,  that  the  unregenerate,  however  thej 
might,  for  a  time,  believe  and  rejoice;  yet  neither  their  faith, 
nor  their  affections,  were  '  fixed,'  because  they  had  m>  root  in 
themselves:  and  therefore  in  time  qf  temptation  they  would 


364  MR.    M.'S    EXTRAORDINARY    METHODS 

fall  away  from  both.  Mat.  xiii.  And  therefore,  if  we  open 
the  door  wide  enough  to  let  in  the  un regenerate,  as  such,  in- 
to the  church,  we  must  not  insist  on  their  being  (  fixed'  what 
to  believe,  or  '  fixed'  what,  to  do ;  for  there  is  no  root  in 
them.  Much  less  must  we  affirm,  that  they  must  be  *  infal- 
libly certain'  that  they  are  '  fixed/  when,  if  the  bible  is  the 
word  of  God,  it  is  infallibty  certain,  that  they  are  not '  fixed.' 
And  their  very  confidence,  that  they  are  '  fixed,'  is  a  full 
proof  that  they  do  not  understand  and  believe  the  Gospel, 
which  declares  that  they  are  not  '  fixed/  that  they  have  no 
root  in  themselves. 
But  to  return  : 

Our  author  says,  (p.  79-)?  '  If  it  is  a  real  gracious  state, 
that  gives  us  a  real  right  to  join  with  the  church ;  then  it  is 
a  known  gracious  state  that  gives  us  a  known  right.'  And 
he  adds,  '  This  is  a  self-evident  proposition.'  And  this  he 
says  in  order  to  prove,  '  that  no  man  can,  with  a  good  con- 
science, make  this  profession,  without  as  certain  a  know- 
ledge of  the  gracious  state  of  his  own  heart,  as  he  must  have 
of  any  particular  fact  about  which  he  is  called  to  give  an 
evidence  in  a  civil  court.'  But  if  this  argument  is  conclu- 
sive, then  his  own  scheme  is  overthrown.  For,  turn  the  ta- 
bles, and  the  argument  stands  thus: 

"  If  it  is  real  orthodoxy,  that  gives  us  a  right  to  join  with 
the  church  ;  then  it  is  known  orthodoxy,  that  gives  us  a 
known  right."  And  1  may  add,  (  this  is  a  self-evident  pro- 
position.' And  therefore,  according  to  Mr.  M.  f<  no  man. 
can  with  a  good  conscience,  join  with  the  church,  without 
as  certain  a  knowledge  of  his  orthodoxy,  as  he  must  have  of 
any  particular  fact  about  which  he  is  called  to  give  an  evi- 
dence in  a  civil  court."  So  then,  according  to  Mr.  M.  un- 
regenerate,  graceless  men,  must  be  as  certain  which  of  all 
the  various  schemes  of  religion  in  vogue,  in  the  Christian 
world,  is  the  right  one,  aslhey  are  of  any  fact  which  they 
see  with  their  eyes,  to  the  truth  of  which  they  can  make 
oath  ;  or  they  cannot,  with  a  good  conscience,  join  with  the 
church  :  i.  e.  they  must  have  as  high  a  degree  of  infallibili- 
ty as  the  apostles  had  under  inspiration,  or  they  cannot,  with 
a  good  conscience,  join  with  the  church.  But  does  Mr.  M. 


TO    SUPPORT    HIS    SCHEME.  36* 

believe  this  ?  Does  lie  look  upon  his  graceless,  conscientious  • 
church-member*,  as  infallible  as  the  apostles  ? 

To  say,  that  real  orthodoxy  is  not  a  requisite  qualification, 
is  to  give  up  his  own  scheme.     To  say,  that  although  real 
orthodoxy  is  a  requisite  qualification,  yet  a  degree  of  infalli- 
bility, equal  to  that  which  the  apostles  had  under  inspiration, 
is  not  necessary  to  qualify  a  man,  with  a  good  conscience, 
to  join  with  the  church,  is  to  give  up  his  argument.     For  the 
apostles  were  not  more    certain,  which  was  the  orthodox 
scheme  of  religion,  than  we  are  of  facts,  which  we  see  with 
our  eyes,  and  which  we  can  swear  positively,  that  we  did  see. 
And  our  certainty  must  be  equal  to  this,  he  says,  or  we  can- 
not, with  a  good  conscience,  join  with  the  church.     Every 
conscientious,  graceless  church-member,  therefore,  according 
to  Mr.  M.  is  as  infallible,  in  points  of  orthodoxy,  as  was  the 
apostle   Paul.      But  does  Mr.  M.  believe  this  ?  No,  by  no 
means.    What  then  does  he  mean  ?  Why,  he  means  to  con- 
fute our  scheme,  by  an  argument  built  on  a  principle  which 
he  himself  does  not  believe  to  be  true  ;  and  which,  were  it 
true,  would  overthrow  his  own  scheme. 

Objection.  But  1  know  that  I  believe  svch  an d  such  doc- 
trines ;  yea,  I  can  swear  I  believe  them. 

Answer.  You  can  swear  that  you  believe  your  own  creed  ; 
but  can  you  swear  that  your  own  creed  is  orthodox  ?  For  not 
a  confident  belief,  but  real  orthodoxy  is,  according  to  Mr. 
M.  a  requisite  qualification  to  church-membership.  There- 
fore, according  to  him,  you  must  be  certain  that  your  creed 
is  orthodox  ;  even  as  certain  as  you  are  of  facts  which  you 
see,  and  to  the  truth  of  which  you  can  make  oath  before  the 
civil  magistrate ;  which  is  a  degree  of  certainty  equal  to 
that  which  the  apostles  had  under  inspiration. 

The  Arians,  the  Socinians,  the  Pelagians,  the  Papists,  &c. 
Sec.  can  swear  that  they  believe  their  schemes ;  but  does  this 
qualify  them  to  be  church-members  ?  Would  Mr.  M.  re- 
ceive them  to  communion  ?  If  so,  then  it  is  no  matter  what 
scheme  of  religion  men  believe,  if  they  do  but  believe  it  con- 
fidently. And  then  orthodoxy  is  not  a  requisite  qualification 
for  church-membership,  but  rather  bigotry  ! 


366  MR.  M.'S   EXTRAORDINARY   METHODS 

Our  author  says,  p.  78,  79-  '  This  affair  of  covenanting 
with  God,  Moses  styles,  Deut.  xxix.  14.  This  covenant  and 
this  oath.'  And  '  will  it  do  to  tell  people,  that  they  may 
give  a  positive  evidence,  when  they  have  only  a  prevailing 
opinion  about  the  fact  ?'  That  is,  will  it  do,  to  tell  people  that 
they  may  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  and  bind  them- 
selves under  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  as  the  Israelites  did 
to  keep  covenant,  (Deut.  xxvi.  27.  Thou  hast  avouched  the 
Lord  this  day  to  be  thy  God,  and  to  walk  in  his  ways,  and 
to  keep  his  statutes,  and  his  commandments,  and  his  judgments, 
and  to  hearken  to  his  voice,)  when  they  have  only  a  prevailing 
opinion,  that  they  have  such  an  heart  in  them ;  but  have  not 
a  certain  knowledge  of  it,  as  they  have  of  facts,  which  under 
oath,  they  can  positively  declare  to  be  true  ? 

Answer  1.  When  men  have  not  such  a  heart  in  them,  they 
are  not  qualified  to  enter  into  this  covenant  and  this  oath. 
And  therefore,  if  unregeneracy  consists  in  being  without  such 
an  heart,  and  in  having  an  heart  opposite  hereunto,  agreeable 
to  St.  Paul's  doctrine,  Rom.  viii.  7«  then  unregeneracy  dis- 
qualifies us  for  entering  into  covenant  with  God. 

2.  No  man  can,  with  a  good  conscience,  enter  into  this  co- 
venant, unless  he  is  conscious  to  himself,  that  he  has  such  an 
heart,  to  such  a  degree  of  clearness,  as  to  be  satisfied  in  hie 
conscience,  that  he  indeed  has  such  an  heart.     And  there- 
fore, for  men  who  know  that  they  have  not  such  an  heart,  to 
enter  into  this  covenant,  is  gross  immorality.     But  he  who  is 
satisfied  in  his  conscience,  that  he  has  such  an  heart,  may 
with  a  good  conscience  enter  into  this  covenant.     That  is, 
his  conscience  will  approve  of  his  conduct  in  so  doing. 

3.  A  man  may  be  satisfied  in  his  conscience,  that  he  has 
such  an  heart  by  prevailing  evidence,  short  of  strict  certainty. 
For  instance,    Mr.  Mather  was  satisfied  in  his  conscience, 
that  it  was  his  duty  to  write  jn  the  defence  of  the  external  co- 
venant, upon  prevailing  evidence  of  its  truth  ;  but  yet  if  it 
were  put  to  him,  he  would  not  positively  declare  under  oath, 
that  he  knows  it  to  be  true  ;  as  he  knows  the  truth  of  facts 
which  he  sees  with  his  eyes.     For  he  declares  in  his  preface, 
'  Yet  I  am  not  so  fond  of  my  own  judgment,  or  tenacious  of 
my  own  practice,  but  that  I  stand  ready  to  give  them  both  up 


TO  SUPPORT  HIS  SCHEME.  36? 

wben  any  one  shall  do  the  friendly  office  of  setting  light  be- 
fore me.'  And  therefore  he  cannot  swear  that  his  scheme  is 
the  true  Scripture  scheme.  He  knows  that  he  has  writ- 
ten on  this  subject.  This  fact  he  is  certain  of.  He  could 
give  oath  to  this  before  a  civil  court.  Nor  could  he  give  up 
the  truth  of  this  fact,  let  all  the  light  in  the  world  be  set  be- 
fore him.  Nor  could  he  with  a  good  conscience,  offer  to 
give  up  the  truth  of  this  fact,  on  any  condition  :  because  he 
knows  that  the  fact  is  true.  He  knows  it  with  certainty,  with 
infallible  certainty.  But  he  has  not  equal  certainty  that  his 
scheme  is  true.  It  was  only  his  prevailing  opinion.  And  so, 
he  offers  to  give  it  up  on  further  light.  Yet  he  acted  con- 
scientiously in  writing  in  its  defence.  That  is,  his  conscience, 
iustead  of  condemning,  approved  of  his  conduct.  For  the 
truth  of  this  I  appeal  to  Mr.  M.  The  application  is  easy.  And 

yet, 

4.  It  is  readily  granted,  that  we  are  to  blame  for  every 
wrong  judgment  we  make  in  moral  matters,  relative  both  to 
truth  and  duty,  how  conscientious  soever  we  were  in  making 
the  judgment.     Thus,  for  instance,  Paul,  before  his  conver- 
sion, was  conscientious  in  judging  and  acting  against  Christi- 
anity ;  but  still  he  was  to  blame  for  judging  and  acting  as  he 
did.     And  if  Mr.  M.'s  external  covenant  is  unscriptural,  how 
conscientious  soever  he  has  been  in  believing  and  acting  as 
he  lias,  yet  he  is  to  blame.     So,  if  we  judge  that  we  have 
such  an  heart,  when  in  fact  we  have  not,  how  conscientious 
soever  we  have  been,  yet  still  we  are  criminal.    For  we  might 
have  known  better.     It  was  our  fault  that  we  did  not  know 
better.     And  in  this  world,  or  in  the  next,  we  shall  know 
that  the  blame  lies  at  our  door.     Therefore, 

5.  Those  words  of  our  blessed  Saviour  ought  to  be  attend- 
ed to  and  regarded,  by  every  one   who  entertains  thoughts 
of  making'a  profession  of  his  holy  religion.  Luke  xiv.  25 — 35. 
And  there  went  great  multitudes  with  him,  and  instead  of 
pressing  them  to  an  inconsiderate  profession  of  his  religion,  as 
a  means  of  their  conversion,  he  turned  and  said  unto  them,  if 
any  man  come  to  me,  by  an  open  public  profession,  and  hate 
not  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  breth- 
ren end  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  so  as  to  have  an 


368  CONCLUSION. 

heart  to  give  up  all  for  my  sake,  he  cannot  be,  my  disciple ; 
but  will  in  time  of  trial  desert  me.  And  whosoever  doth  not 
bear  his  cross,  and  come  after  me,  with  a  heart  to  suffer  every 
thing  for  my  sake,  cannot  be  my  disciple;  but  will  in  time  of 
trial  desert  me.  Therefore,  consider  what  you  do.  For 
®hich  of  you,  inttnding  to  build  a  tower,  sitteth  not  dorsnjint 
and  count  eth  the  cost,  &c.  &c.  So  likewise,  whosoever  he  be 
of  you,  that  for  saketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my 
disciple.  My  disciples  are  the  salt  of  the  earth.  Salt  is  good, 
if  it  is  salt ;  but  if  the  salt  have  lost  its  savour,  wherewith  shall 
it  be  seasoned.  It  is  good  for  nothing.  It  is  neither  Jit  Jor 
the  land,  nor  yet  for  the  dunghill :  but  men  cast  it  out,  as 
good  for  nothing.  And  what  are  such  disciples  good  for,  who 
will  desert  me  in  time  of  trial.  Attend  to  what  I  say.  He 
that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear. 

CONCLUSION. 

Mr.  M.  speaking  of  our  sentiments  of  religion,  as  contain- 
ed in  president  Edwardi>'  treatise  concerning  religious  affec- 
tions, which  is  beyond  doubt  one  of  the  best  books  that  has 
been  published  on  experimental  religion  and  vital  piety  since 
the  days  of  inspiration,  sajrs,  (p.  36.)  'These  sentiments  are 
surprisingly  spread  in  the  land,  in  the  present  day.'  Yes, 
and  always  will  spread  among  people,  in  proportion  as  true 
religion  revives  and  spreads.  Nor  am  I  without  hopes,  that 
Mr.  M.  should  he  thoroughly  look  into  the  scheme,  and  get 
a  right  understanding  of  it,  would  yet  himself  become  a  pro- 
selyte to  it ;  and  if  he  should  become  a  proselyte  to  it,  he 
would  soon  give  up  his  external  covenant,  as  being  wholly 
inconsistent  with  it. 

And  it  is  quite  certain,  that  when  the  divine  promises,  scat- 
tered through  the  sacred  writings,  relative  to  the  glorious 
prevalence  of  true  Christianity,  come  to  be  accomplished, 
that  Mr.  M.'s  graceless  covenant  will  become  a  useless  and  an 
impracticable  thing.  When  nations  shall  be  born  in  a  day; 
when  all  the  people  shall  be  righteous,  when  the  knowledge  of 
the  Lord  shall  Jill  the  earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea;  peo- 
ple will  not  desire  to  make  a  graceless  profession.  Nay,  they 
can  never  be  persuaded  to  do  it  in  that  day.  For  then  they 


CONCLUSION.  369 

will  love  Christ  more  than  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  chil- 
dren, or  houses,  or  landt ;  yea,  more,  than  their  own  lives.  And 
men  who  really  love  their  wives  and  children,  are  able,  ordi- 
narily, to  say  with  truth  and  a  good  conscience,  that  they  do 
love  them.  Yea,  it  would  be  thought  a  sign,  that  men,  ge- 
nerally, if  not  universally,  hated  their  wives,  in  any  kingdom, 
city,  or  town,  should  it  be  known,  that  '  ninety-nine  in  an 
hundred  of  them  had  such  doubts,  that  with  a  good  con- 
science they  could  not  say  that  they  loved  them.  Mr.  Stod- 
dard,  in  his  Treatise  concerning  the  Nature  of  Conversion,  says, 
(p.  79.)  '  We  do  not  know  of  one  godly  man  in  the  Scripture, 
that  was  under  darkness  about  his  sincerity.'  And  our  cate- 
chism says,  'The  benefits  which  in  this  life  do  either  accom- 
pany or  flow  from  justification,  adoption,  and  sanctification, 
are  assurance  of  God's  love,  peace  of  conscience,  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  increase  of  grace,  and  perseverance  therein 
to  the  end.'  And  when  religion  revives  in  its  purity  and 
glory,  assurance  will  become  as  common  a  thing  among  pro- 
fessors, as  it  was  among  the  apostolic  converts,  in  the  apostol- 
ic churches.  And  even  now,  should  a  man  and  woman  pre- 
sent themselves  before  a  clergyman,  to  enter  into  the  mar- 
riage-covenant, and  at  the  same  time  declare,  that  they 
doubted  their  love  to  each  other  to  such  a  degree,  that  with 
a  good  conscience  they  could  not  give  their  consent  to  the 
form  of  words  in  common  use,  because  that  would  imply  a 
profession  of  mutual  love,  no  judicious  man  would  think  them 
fit  to  be  married.  The  application  is  easy. 

Nothing  renders  a  graceless  covenant  needful,  but  the  pre- 
valence of  gracelessness  among  our  people.  For  did  our 
people  all  of  them  love  Christ  more  than  father  and  mother, 
wife  and  children,  no  man  would  desire  to  have  the  covenant 
of  grace  set  aside,  and  a  graceless  covenant  substituted  in  its 
room,  in  our  churches.  \Vhen,  therefore,  that  day  comes  in 
which  satan  shall  be  bound,  who  at  present  deceives  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth,  that  he  may  deceive  them  no  more  :  when 
the  great  harvest  comes,  of  which  what  happened  in  the 
apostolic  age  was  but  the  Jirst  fruits ;  and  the  stone  cut  out 
of  the  mountain  icithout  hands  becomes  great  ^and  fills  the  whole 
earth,  and  the  God  of  heaven  sets  up  a  kingdom,  and  all  peo- 

VOL.  in.  *  47 


370  CONCLUSION. 

pie,  nations,  and  languages,  serve  him,  and  the  kingdom  and 
dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  tinder  the  whole 
heaven  is  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High, 
and  all  dominion  shall  serve  him  ;  then,  even  then,  true  godli- 
ness will  be  universally  professed,  and  universally  practised. 
Since,  therefore,  this  graceless  covenant  will  ere  long  be 
universally   exploded,  and   rooted  up,  as  shall   every  plant 
which  our  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted,  why  should  not 
we  all  now  unite  to  give  it  up,  and  to  invite  our  people  to  be- 
come Christians  indeed,  to  profess  and  practise  according  to 
the  true  import  of  their  baptism  ?   It  is  as  much  their  duty, 
and  as  much  their  interest,  to  become  Christians  now,  as  it 
will  be  in  any  future  period  of  their  lives.     They  have  from 
God  no  leave  to  delay.     Thanks  be  to  God,  '  that  these  sen- 
timents are  surprisingly  spreading  in  this  land,  in  the  present 
day.'     Nor  ought  it  to  pass  unnoticed,  that  every  attempt  to 
prevent  their  spreading  has  hitherto  had  the  contrary  effect. 
For  while  those  who  oppose  them,  how  ingenious  and  learned 
soever  they  be,  are  obliged  to  run  into  the  grossest  absurdities 
and  inconsistencies,  in  their  own  defence ;  as  one  error  leads 
on  to  another,  it  naturally  tends  to  open  the  eyes  of  all  can- 
did men,  who  attend  to  the  controversy.     And  may  we  not 
hope  that  so  candid  and  ingenious  a  writer  as  Mr.  Mather  is 
represented  to  be,  '  who  is  not  fond  of  his  own  judgment,  or 
tenacious  of  his  own  practice,  but  stands  ready  to  give  them 
both  up,  when  any  one  shall  do  him  the  friendly  office  of 
setting  light  before  him/  will,  upon  a  calm  review  of  all  that 
has  been  said,  become  a  friend  to  the  good  old  zcay  of  our 
forefathers,  the  first  settlers  of  New-England,  and  come  into 
that  plan  on   which  the  New-England  churches  were  origi- 
nally formed. — Which  may  God  of  his  infinite  mercy  grant, 
through  Jesus  Christ.     AMEN. 


A 

LETTER 
TO  SCRIPTURISTA. 

SIR, 


the  first  settling  of  New-England,  it  has  been  the 
constant  practice  of  all  our  congregational  churches,  to  require 
a  public  assent  to  the  chief  articles  of  the  Christian  faith,  as 
a  term  of  communion  in  special  ordinances.  Nor  is  there  to 
this  day,  one  such  church,  or,  to  be  sure,  not  above  one,  that 
ever  1  heard  of,  but  what  insists  upon  such  a  public  assent, 
as  that,  without  which  they  will  not  admit  any  to  sealing 
ordinances.  Our  churches  have  formulas,  which  they  call 
the  doctrines  of  faith,  or  the  articles  of  the  Christian  faith.  The 
minister  publicly  reads  them  to  such  as  are  to  be  taken  into 
full  communion  ;  and  they  give  their  assent  to  them  before 
all  the  congregation.  For  our  churches  believe,  (and  act  up- 
on it,)  that  none  ought  to  be  admitted  to  full  communion, 
but  such  as  are  sound  in  the  faith  ;  and  that  the  church  has  a 
rightto  judge  oftheir  sound  ness  in  the  faith  :  and  they  dojudge 
those  to  be  sound  in  the  faith,  who  publicly  profess,  (acting, 
to  a  judgment  of  charity,  understandingly  and  honestly,)  their 
assent  to  the  articles  of  the  Christian  faith,  which  they  have 
agreed  to,  and  drawn  up  to  be  used  in  the  admission  of  mem- 
bers :  as  they  are  persuaded  said  articles  do  express  the  true 
sense  of  the  holy  Scriptures. 

Were  the}'  convinced,  that  any  of  their  articles  were  con- 
trary to  Scripture,  I  know  not  of  one,  or  to  be  sure  not  above 
one,  of  all  our  churches,  but  would  immediately  alter  their 
articles.  For  we  all  profess,  that  the  hible  is  the  only  stand- 
ard by  which  our  religious  sentiments  are  to  be  formed  ;  and 
we  mean,  by  our  creeds  and  confessions,  only  to  express  our 
sense  of  Scripture  :  not  to  make  a  new  bible  ;  but  only  to  ex- 
press how  we  understand  the  bible  that  God  has  already 


372  A    LETTER 

• 

made.      And  this,  to  the  end  that  others  may  know  our  prin- 
ciples, and  we  know  theirs. 

When  therefore  a  number  of  ministers,  and  of  private  gen- 
tlemen, who  belong  to  our  churches,  have  in  late  years  ap- 
peared so  very  zealous  against  creeds  and  confessions,  as  tests 
of  orthodoxy,  I  was  at  a  loss  to  know  what  they  meant,  and 
what  they  designed,  and  what  alteration  they  would  have  in 
our  customs  and  praetiees,  if  they  could  new  model  things 
just  to  their  minds.  Would  they  have  men  admitted  into 
the  church,  and  appointed  public  instructers,  without  any  re- 
gard to  their  religious  principles  ?  Or,  do  they  not  like  it, 
that  our  articles  should  be  writ  dozen?  Or,  would  they  have 
new  creeds  drawn  up,  contrary  to  our  present,  and  imposed  on 
our  churches,  and  our  churches  not  allowed  to  judge  Jor  them- 
selves !  Or,  what  do  they  mean  ?  And  what  would  they  have  ? 

Thus  stood  the  case  in  my  view,  when  two  or  three  years 
ago,  hearing  that  something  new  was  about  to  be  published 
against  creeds  and  confessions,  by  a  certain  ingenious  gentle- 
man, I  sent  the  following  lines  to  the  printer  of  the  Connec- 
ticut Gazette,  which  he  was  so  good  as  to  give  place  in  his 
paper,  No.  149. 

'  To  the  Printer;  &  c. 

'  As  several  pieces  of  late  have  been  published  against 
creeds  and  confessions  of  human  composure  being  used  as 
tests  of  orthodoxy,  which  are  thought  not  fully  to  reach  the 
merits  of  the  cause :  it  is  desired,  that  in  the  next  piece  of 
that  nature  the  following  questions  may  be  answered. 

Quest.  I.  Is  it  of  any  importance  what  men's  principles 
be,  if  their  lives  are  but  good  ?>  For  if  it  is  not,  then  not  their 
religious  principles,  but  only  their  external  conduct,  need  be 
inquired  into;  and  they  may  be  admitted  to  sealing  ordinan- 
ces in  the  church  of  Christ,  or  be  licensed  to'preach,  and  or- 
dained to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  or  be  employed  as  presi- 
dents, fellows,  and  tutors,  to  take  care  of  the  education  of 
our  youth,  whether  they  are  orthodox  or  not.  And  so  there 
will  be  no  need  of  any  tests  of  orthodoxy,  human  or  divine. 

'  But  if  it  be  of  importance  that  they  should  be  sound  in 
the  faith,  and  if  their  religious  principles  must  be  inquired 
into  :  then  it  is  inquired, 


TO    SCR'IPTURISTA.  575 

'  Quest.  II.  Whether  particular  Christian  communities, 
as  well  as  particular  persons,  have  not  a  right  to  judge  for 
themselves,  what  is  the  true  sense  of'  Scripture,  and  what 
principles  are  necessary,  according  to  the  holy  Scriptures,  to 
be  believed  and  professed,  in  order  to  an  admission  to  seal- 
ing ordinances,  or  to  be  employed  as  public  instructors  ? 

'  For  if  particular  communities  have  not  a  right  to  judge 
for  themselves,  they  ought  no  longer  to  claim  it.  But  it  they 
may  not  judge  for  themselves,  who  shall  judge  for  them  ? 
Shall  all  the  various  sects  among  protestants  go  back  to  the 
pope  to  be  set  right?  But,  if  it  be  granted  that  particular 
communities  have  a  right  to  judge  for  themselves,  it  is  in- 
quired, 

'Quest.  III.  Why  they  may  not  manifest  what  is  their 
sense  of  Scripture,  in  writing,  as  well  as  by  word  of  mouth  ? 
i.  e.  why  they  may  not  compose  a  written  confession  of  faith 
to  be  used  as  a  test  of  orthodoxy  k. 

'Till  a  good  answer  to  these  questions  can  be  given,  it  is 
not  to  be  expected  that  the  use  of  creeds  and  confessions 
should  be  laid  aside.  And  they  are  proposed  to  the  pub- 
lic, with  a  desire  they  may  be  answered,  with  that  seriousness 
and  good  nature,  with  which  all  religious  controversies  ought 
to  be  managed.  And  such  an  answer  shall  be  attended  to 
with  an  honest  desire  to  know  the  truth,  by 

'  Decent.  24,  1737-  PAULINUS.' 

And  now,  after  above  two  years,  to  consider  of  the  matter, 
you,  my  good  friend  Scripturista,  have  been  so  kind  as  to 
give  a  public  answer  to  my  three  qutstions.  For  which,  (al- 
though you  have  misunderstood  me  in  a  very  material  point,) 
1  return  you  my  public  thanks.  And  if  you  speak  not  only 
your  own  sense,  but  the  sense  of  your  whole  party,  I  humbly 

k  A  test  is  that  by  which  vre  try  something  to  discover  what  it  is.  Ths 
Mbleisthe  test  by  which  we  try  doctrines  to  discover  whether  they  be  divine 
truths.  A  confession  of  faith  is  a  test  by  which  we  try  those  who  ofier  to  be  of 
our  communion,  &c.  to  discover  whether  they  we  orthodox,  i.  e.  whether  they 
believe  those  doctrines  which  we  judge  true,  and  necessary  to  be  professed, 
in  oiiler  to  be  admitted  to  communion,  &cc.  in  this  latter  sense  only  is  it,  that 
the  Christian  church  ever  maintained,  that  confessions  of  human  composure 
might  be  used  as  texts  of  orthodoxy.  See  Professor  Dunlop,  on  Creeds  and  Co»- 
fesMons. 


374  A   LETTER 

conceive  we  are  not  so  far  apart  in  this  particular  controver- 
sy, but  that  it  may  pretty  easily  be  settled  to  the  satisfaction 
of  all  concerned.  For  if  I  understand  you  right,  you  have 
granted  the  whole  I  designed  ;  and  disputed  against  a  point 
which  no  denomination  of  Christians  ever  maintained.  Be- 
sure,  none  in  New-England. 

I.  You  not  only  grant,  but  contend  earnestly  for  what  we 
all  lay  down  as  our  first  principle,  and   fundamental   maxim, 
viz.  That  not  creeds,  nor  confessions,  bui  the  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testament,  are  the  only  rule  of  Ja.it h  ;  by 
which  we  are,  each  one  for  ourselves,  to  be  determined  what 
to  believe  in  matters  of  religion  ;  and  to  which  the  final   ap- 
peal is  to  be  made  by  all  denominations  of  Christians,  and  by 
which  they  ought  to  decide  all  their  religious  controversies. 
Our  creeds  are  to  express  nothing  but  what  we  verily   believe 
to  be  the  true  sense  of  Scripture.     And  if  any  think  we  mis- 
take the  true  sense  of  Scripture,  the  dispute  is  to  be  decided, 
not  by  our  creeds,  but  by  the  Scripture  ;  comparing  Scripture 
with  Scripture.     So  saith  our  platform  ;  and  this  we  are  fully 
agreed  in.     'The  smallest  grain  of  an   inspired  testimony,' 
says  Professor  Dunlop,  in  his  piece  on  creeds  and  confessions, 
'  is  momentous  enough,  in  a  just  balance,    to  weigh  down 
a  cart-load  of  human  canons  and  confessions.'  Edit.  2.  p.  78. 

II.  You  grant,  '  that  some  of  the  principles  of  religion  are 
so  important,  that  none  ought  to  be  admitted  to  sealing  or- 
dinances, or  to  be  employed  as  public  instructers,  who  do 
not  profess  to  believe  them.' (p.  3.)  Yea,  you  grant,   that  if 
they  do  at  first  profess  to  believe  them  ;  yet  if  afterwards   it 
appears  they  do  not,  '  ministers  ought  to  be  silenced  ;'  (p.  13.) 
and    by  parity  of  reason,   church-members  censured.     You 
grant  this,  I  say;  and  therefore,  to  silence  and  excommuni- 
cate such   if  they   continue  obstinate,  provided   it  be  done 
with  a  Christian  temper,  is  so  far  from  being  persecution,  that 
you  look  upon  it  a  Christian  duly  ;  according  to  Tit.   iii.   10. 

And  thus  far  you  agree  with  the  church   of  Christ  in    all 
ages  of  the  world. 

III.  And  you  also  grant  fully,  just  as  fully  as  I  would  have 
you, '  that  particular  Christian  communities,  as  well   as   par- 
ticular persons,  have  a  right,  not  had  a  right  once,  ten  or 


TO    SCRIPTURISTA.  375 

twenty  years  ago,  but  every  clay  of  their  lives  ;  '  have  a  right 
to  judge  for  themselves,  what  is  the  true  sense  of  Scripture  ; 
and  what  principles  are  necessary,  according  to  the  holy 
Scriptures,  to  be  believed  and  professed,  in  order  to  an  admis- 
sion to  sealing  ordinances,  or  to  be  employed  as  public  instruc- 
ters.'  (p.  4.) 

And  if  they  have  a  right  to  judge  for  themselves,  you  must 
grant,  that  it  is  their  duty  to  exercise  this  right,  and  not  re- 
main in  suspense ;  but  come  to  a  judgment ;  not  to  be  ever 
learning,  and  never  come  to  the.  knowledge  of  the  truth,  like  the 
condemned  by  the  apostle ;  2  Tim.  iii.  7-  but  rather  to  be- 
lieve with  nil  the  heart,  and  to  continue  in  the  things  which 
they  hare  learned,  and  been  assured  of.  Ver.  14. 

Yea,  how  can  a  Christian  church  admit  any  to  communion, 
or  settle  a  minister,  until  first  they  are  agreed  what  principles 
are  orthodox  and  necessary.  If  they  put  off  coming  to  a  judg- 
ment, and  agree  upon  nothing  as  a  rule  for  themselves  to  act 
by,  in  the  admission  of  members,  or  settlement  of  a  minister, 
'  to  be  of  any  force  till  they  are  dead  ;'  (p.  11.)  then  they 
must  admit  no  members,  and  settle  no  ministers,  till  they  get 
into  the  next  world  :  or  else  must  admit  members  and  settle 
ministers  on  this  maxim,  *  that  it  is  no  matter  what  men's 
principles  be,  if  their  lives  are  but  good.'  Which  still  you 
will  not  allow.  There  is  an  absolute  necessity,  therefore,  up- 
on your  own  principles,  that  Christian  communities  settle 
these  points,  and  agree  what  principles  are  necessary,  even  at 
their  first  formation. 

And  surely,  a  right  to  judge  for  themselves  does  by  no 
means  imply,  that  they  must  never  come  to  a  judgment ;  never 
be  grounded  and  settled  in  a  firm  belief  of  all  the  great  and 
important  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  ;  but  always  be  as  unsteady 
children,  tost  to  and  jro,  and  carried  about  like  leaves  in 
autumn,  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  slight  of  men,  and 
cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  rcait  to  deceive  :  for  this 
is  expressly  contrary  to  the  word  of  God.  (Col.  i.  23.  Eph. 
iv.  14.)  And  equally  contrary  to  common  sense.  For  a  right 
to  judge  for  ourselves  is  so  far  from  being  inconsistent  with  our 
coming  to  a  judgment,  that  if  can  be  of  no  use  to  us  but  as  it 
is  improved  to  this  end. 


A   LETTER 

But  you  say,  '  we  must  alter  our  belief,  if  afterwards  we 
see  just  cause  for  it.'  p.  5.  11.  19.  True;  and  so  we  must 
give  up  the  bible  itself,  if  we  see  just  cause  for  it.  And  cease 
any  longer  to  believe  that  two  and  two  make  four ;  if  we 
see  just  cause  for  it.  And  what  then  ?  Must  we  there- 
fore never  come  to  a  judgment  about  the  plainest  and  most 
evident  matters?  Or,  do  you  think  that  the  great  truths 
of  the  Gospel  cannot  be  clearly  determined  from  the  bible  ? 
I  hope  that  believing  the  great  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  with 
all  the  heart,  with  a  full  assurance  of  faith  ;  yea,  with  all  the 
richti  of  the  full  assurance  of  understanding,  in  the  manner 
true  Christians  did  in  the  apostolic  age,  (Acts  viii.  37-  Col.  ii. 
2.  1  Thes.  i.  5.  Heb.  x.  22.)  does  not  appear  in  your  eyes 
like  a  groundless  confidence,  a  faith  built  on  no  solid,  ration- 
al, lasting  evidence.  A  hope  you  would  not  have  the  minds 
of  Christians  always  fluctuating  and  unsettled  in  their  be- 
lief, like  a  wave  of  I  he  sea,  and  so  in  consequence  hereof,  they 
be  unstable  in  all  their  ways,  like  those  condemned  in  Jam.i. 
6,  7>  8.  Nor  can  I  persuade  myself,  that  you  think  that 
a  firm  and  persevering  belief  of  Christianity  is  inconsistent 
with  the  impartial  it}T  of  an  honest  man,  who  is  a  free  inquirer 
after  truth.  And  that  there  is  no  way  to  be  u  strong  believer,, 
but  by  being  a  great  bigot.  If  indeed  you  are  thus  far  gone 
into  scepticism,  and  feel  yourself  thus  at  a  total  loss  what  to 
believe,  and  what  to  disbelieve  ;  I  wonder  not  you  should  be 
for  delaying  to  draw  up  a  creed  for  yourself,  lest  you  should 
soon  alter  your  mind,  and  get  into  another  scheme  of  religion^ 
a  scheme  condemned  by  your  former  creed.  But  methinks,  to 
put  off  '  till  after  death,'  is  too  long,  if  you  intend  to  be 
saved  at  last  by  Christianity.  But  if  it  is  no  matter  what 
men's  principles  be,  if  their  lives  are  but  good  ;  all  is  well, 
•whether  you  ever  get  settled  in  your  principles  in  this  world^ 
or  in  the  world  to  come. 

But  why  need  I  thus  reason  with  you  ?  For  whatever  sound 
some  of  your  words  may  seem  to  have,  and  however  some  of 
your  readers  may  understand  you ;  yet  you  cannot  really 
mean  that  Christians,  or  Christian  communities,  should  delay 
and  put  off  their  being  settled,  fully  settled  in  the  belief  of 
the  great  doctrines  of  the  Gospel.  For  you  do  expressly 


TO    SCRIPTURISTA.  377 

grant,  that  it  is  of  so  great  importance  that  men  be  sound 
in  the  faith,  that  they  must  not  be  admitted  to  communion,  or 
ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  without  it.  Which  sup- 
poses that  the  great  truths  of  the  Gospel  are  so  plain  and  evi- 
dent, that  they  may  and  ought  to  be  known  and  believed  ; 
and  Christian  communities  to  be  well  settled  in  these  things, 
even  at  their  first  foundation. 

IV.  You   grant,  '  that  particular  Christian   communities 
may  manifest  their  sense  of  Scripture  in  writing,  as  well  as 
by  word  of  mouth.'  p.  5.  i.  e.  they  may  compose  creeds.    For 
a  creed,  (which   comes  from   credo,  to  believe,)  consists  of 
a  number  of  articles,  which  I  believe,  to  be  taught  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures.     And  what  particular  use  is  to  be  made  of  their 
creed  by  Christian  communities,  you  have  already  virtually 
granted,  For, 

V.  Although  this  clause, '  A   written  confession  of  faith  to 
be  used  as  a  test  of  orthodoxy,'  does  '  really  surprise  you, 
(p.  6.)  taken  in  the  frightful  sense  you  have  put  upon  it;  yet, 
taken  in  the  sense  I  designed  the  words,  it  seems  you  fully 
approve  the  thing.     The  name,  '  a  test  of  orthodoxy/  frights 
you,  and  no  wonder,  considering  the  frightful  idea  you   put 
to  the  words.     But  the  thing  designed  by  that  name  seem* 
quite  familiar  to  your  mind.     For  there  are  some  religious 
principles  which  appear  to  you  of  so  great  importance,  that 
you  would  neither  admit  to  sealing  ordinances,  nor  to  the  of- 
fice of  a  public  instructor,  those  who  would  not  profess  them* 
And   these   principles  you  fully  believe  are   taught   in  the 
holy  Scriptures.     So  that,  in  the  sense  I  use  words,  they  are 
your  creed,  and  your  test  of  orthodoxy.    For  you  believe  them, 
and  insist  upon  the  profession  of  them  as  a  term  of  commu- 
nion.    And  possibly  their  evidence  appears  to  you  so  clear 
and  full,  that  you  are  persuaded  you  never  shall,  and  in  fact 
you  never  will,  alter  your  belief,  as  to  them.     And  yet  you 
are  no  bigot.     But  rather  you  profess  to  stand  ready  to  alter 
your  belief,  '  when  you  see  just  cause  for  it.'     However,  till 
then  you  would  join  to  silence,  and  excommunicate,  a  minister 
who  should  be  proved  guilty  of  gross  heresy,   according  to 
your  notions  of  heresy,  i.  e.  according  to  your  creed,  used  as 
a  test  of  orthodoxy,  (p.  13.) 

VOL.  in.  48 


378  A    LETTER 

Yea,  it  is  plain  you  have  no  notion  of  any  possible  way  for 
you  to  judge  of  your  neighbour's  belief,  whether  it  be  what 
you  call  orthodox  or  not,   but  by  comparing  it  with  your 
creed,  i.  e.  with  what  you  believe  to  be  the  true  sense  of  Scrip- 
ture.    For,  as  you  say,  (p.  20.)  '  having  settled  your  princi- 
ples according  to  your  understanding  of  Scripture,  you  do 
necessarily  judge  of  particular  cases  according  to  them,  or 
agreeable  to  your  own  judgment  of  the  true  meaning  of  the 
Scriptures.'     Nor  indeed,  sir,  has  any  body  else  any  other 
way  of  judging.     For  there  can  he  no  other.     And  in  fact, 
all  parties,  however  they  differ  in  their  disputes,  yet  agree  to  a 
little  in  their  conduct.     They  all  have  but  one  and  the  same 
way  to  judge  of  their  neighbour's  orthodoxy,  viz.  by  compar- 
ing their  neighbour's  profession,  with   what  they   themselves 
believe  to  be  the  true  meaning  of  Scripture,  i.  e.   with  their 
own  creed.     For  we  must  judge  by  what  we  believe  to  be  the 
true  sense  of  Scripture,  or  not  make  the  Scripture  our  rule  of 
judgment,  in  any  respect  at  all  l. 

So  that  it  is  plain,  that  all  the  great  zeal,  loud  out-cries, 
and  hot  disputes  against  creeds  and  confessions,  being  used 
as  a  test  of  orthodoxy,  must  have  arisen  from  some  misunder- 
standing of  the  case ;  or  else  men  have  not  been  honest ;  but 
rather  disputed  against  creeds  in  general,  merely  because  they 
hate  and  want  to  get  rid  of  the  established  creed  of  their 
country.  Had  it  not  been  for  this  circumstance,  they  might 
have  been  as  great  friends  to  creeds  and  confessions  as  any  of 
their  neighbours.  Now  which  of  these,  my  friend,  is  the  case 
with  you  ?  Do  you  hate  Calvinism  ?  Do  you  dispute  against 
creeds,  because  you  disbelieve  our  confession  of  faith,  and 

/  The  admirers  of  Dr.  Taylor  look  upon  those  as  orthodox,  -who  understand 
the  Scripture  as  he  has  explained  it.  For  they  esteem  his  writings, '  as  being  a 
just  exposition  of  the  word  of  God  in  those  doctrines  or  articles  which  are  contain- 
ed in  them.'  Nor  would  they  choo»e  a  man  to  instruct  their  children  in  divinity, 
who  did  not  judge  of  truth  and  error,  as  Dr.  Taylor  does.  And  why  should  they 
tondemn  that  in  others,  which  they  approve  of  in  themselves  ?  Or  why  should 
they  desire  to  misrepresent  it  to  the  world,  when  at  the  same  time,  rightly  under- 
stood, they  and  all  the  Avorld  must  agree  to  justify  it  ?  Let  them  confute,  if  they 
can,  what  we  mean  to  maintain.  Or  if  they  know  they  cannot,  let  them  own  it ; 
and  not  try  to  hlaeken,  by  misrepresentations,  what  they  dare  not  but  justify, 
rightly  represented 


TO  SCRIPTURISTA.  379 

want  to  get  rid  of  it  ?  No,  you  say  ;  the  man  is  *  guilty  of  scan- 
dal who  imputes  any  such  corrupt  design  to  you.'  (p.  28.)  Ve- 
ry well,  sir;  it  remains  therefore,  that  your  dislike  of  creeds, 
as  tests  of  orthodoxy,  must  be  founded  on  some  mistaken  no- 
tion of  the  thing.  Which  mistaken  notion,  were  it  removed, 
all  the  dislike  of  so  orthodox,  and  so  honest  a  man,  would 
immediately  cease.  And  accordingly  it  is  observable,  that 
having  in  your  letter  granted  the  whole  I  designed,  by  my 
three  questions,  to  lead  gentlemen  on  your  side  to  feel  they 
must  grant ;  or  turn  skeptics,  on  the  one  hand  ;  or  deprive  par- 
ticular Christian  communities  of  their  right  to  judge  for  them- 
selves, and  act  according  to  their  own  consciences,  on  the 
other ;  I  say,  having  granted  the  whole  [  designed,  you  state 
a  question  absolutely  of  your  own  making,  and  set  yourself 
to  dispute  against  a  point  no  denomination  of  Christians 
ever  professed  to  maintain.  To  be  sure,  it  appears  to  me  so 
very  absurd,  that  instead  of  its  being  espoused  by  almost  all 
Christians  since  the  reign  of  Constantine  the  great,  as  you 
imagine,  I  very  much  doubt  whether  there  ever  was  in 
any  age,  so  much  as  one  man  of  tolerable  sense  that  meant 
to  hold  it.  You  indeed  insinuate  that  a  certain  gentleman 
maintains  it.  But  1  dare  say  you  can  no  sooner  get  him  to 
believe  it,  than  you  can  to  believe  that  the  same  thing  may 
be,  and  not  be,  in  the  same  sense,  and  at  the  same  time. 
And  it  is  not  fair  to  put  a  meaning  to  a  man's  words  he  never 
intended. 

VI.  The  question  you  dispute  against,  is  this/  whether  par- 
ticular Christian  communities,  having  drawn  up  in  writing  a 
confession  of  faith,  agreeable  to  their  present  judgment  of  the 
true  sense  of  Scripture,  have  not  just  right  and  authority  to 
IMPOSE  it  on  themselves,  and  all  their  members,  as  a  test  of 
orthodox}',  and  term  of  communion  ;  and  for  the  future  use 
it  as  such  t"  (p.  6.)  By  the  word  '  IMPOSE,'  you  afterwards  ex- 
plain yourself  to  mean,  "they  oblige  themselves  to  use  it 
as  a  test  of  orthodoxy  as  long  as  they  live;  even  although 
they  are  in  fact  afterwards  convinced  that  it  is  not  orthodox." 
Or,  in  other  words,  "  they  bind  themselves  to  believe,  profess, 
and  practise  according  to  it,  and  not  to  alter  in  the  least, 
although  *  they  see  just  cause  for*  alteration,  (p.  1 1 — JQ. 


380  A  LETTER 

Strange  notion !  Bind  themselves  not  to  alter  their  belief, 
although  afterwards  '  they  see  just  reason  for  it !'  But  if  I 
do,  in  fact,  set  just  reason  to  alter  my  belief,  i.  e.  what  ap- 
pears to  me  to  be  just  reason,  I  cannot  but  alter  my  belief. 
It  is  not  in  my  power  to  believe  a  doctrine  to  be  taught  in 
Scripture,  while  at  the  same  time  I  am  fully  convinced  it  is 
not  taught  there.  And  no  man  living  ever  meant  to  oblige 
himself  to  this.  Indeed,  it  would  be  to  oblige  himself  to  an 
absolute  contradiction  ;  to  believe  a  thing  to  be,  and  not  to 
be,  in  the  same  sense,  and  at  the  same  time.  For,  as  I  before 
said,  '  a  creed  consists  of  a  number  of  articles,  which  /  be- 
lifct  are  taught  in  the  sacred  Scriptures.  And  therefore  said 
articles  are  not  my  creed,  if  /  do  not  believe  that  they  are. 
taught  in  Scripture.  But  to  believe  they  are  taught  in  Scrip- 
ture, and  to  believe  that  they  are  not  taught  in  Scripture,  at 
the  same  time,  is  to  believe  a  thing  to  be  and  not  to  be  ;  which 
is  what  you  must  be  sensible,  on  the  least  reflection,  no  man 
ever  meant  to  do.  If  the  church  of  Rome  is  vain  enough  to 
believe  herself  infallible;  yet  she  never  was  so  absurd  as  pro- 
fessedly to  oblige  herself  to  persevere  in  her  belief  of  her  own 
infallibility,  although  in  time  to  come  she  should  be  fully  con- 
vinced of  her  mistake. 

'  They  may  not  alter  their  principles,'  (you  say,  p.  1  ] .)  '  or  at 
least  their  profession  afterwards,  though  on  further  inquiry 
they  should  think  they  had  mistaken  the  sense  of  Scripture  at 
first;'  i.  e.  they  are  obliged  to  proceed  to  silence  a  minister,  or 
censure  a  private  Christian,  as  an  heretic,  directly  against  the 
light  of  their  own  consciences,  when  they  are  fully  persuaded 
they  are  sound  in  the  faith,  the  error  not  being  in  them,  but  in 
their  own  creeds.  To  set  which  notion  in  all  its  horrors,  you 
tell  a  long  story  of  a  church  trial,  carried  on  upon  this 
scheme,  and  conclude  with  saying,  'That  if  the  church  have 
a  right  to  make  a  contrary  judgment,  if  they  see  just  reason 
for  it,' then  tests  of  orthodoxy  must  be  given  up.  (p.  ]Q.) 
So  that  this  is  the  precise  notion  of  tests  of  orthodoxy  with 
which  you  are  so  terribly  frighted,  and  against  which  you 
dispute  so  zealously,  as  having  in  all  ages  of  the  church  been 
the  grand  source  of  all  imposition,  tyranny,  and  persecution. 
Although  at  the  same  time  it  does  not  appear  that  this  notion 


TO  SCHIPTUR1STA.  381 

•of  a  test  of  orthodox}1,  was  ever  embraced  by  any  Christian 
church  in  the  world. 

Among  nil  the  reformed  churches,  none  are  more  zealous 
for  creeds  and  confessions,  as  tests  of  orthodoxy,  than  the 
church  of  Scotland.  And  Mr.  Dunlop,  professor  of  divinity 
in  the  university  of  of  Edinburgh,  in  his  preface  to  their  con- 
fession, who  wrote  to  show  the  justice,  reasonableness,  and  ne- 
cessity of  it,  as  a  PUBLIC  STANDARD  OF  ORTHODOXY,  may 
be  supposed  to  speak  the  common  sense  of  that  church.  But 
he  expressly  saith,  edit.  2.  p.  143.  '  According  to  the  princi- 
ples of  our  confession, every  man  would  search  after  the  truth 
with  the  utmost  impartiality  ;  attend  to  the  voice  of  divine  re- 
velation, though  it  may  sound  very  differently  in  his  ears 
from  the  public  standard  of  any  fallible  church,  it  is  base 
and  inglorious,  for  any  person  to  dissemble  the  truth  when  he 
discovers  it,  or  neglect  any  proper  means  of  spreading  it  in  the 
world,  because  he  may  thereby  disoblige  the  majority  and 
lose  their  favours.'  Again,  p.  147.  '  As  good  men  will 
never  subscribe  a  confession  but  when  persuaded  in  their  con- 
sciences of  the  conformity  of  its  articles  to  divine  revelation; 
so  they  will  with  courage  oppose  themselves  to  it ;  when  con- 
vinced of  their  error,  they  will  not  be  afraid  openly  to  aban- 
don it,  and  will  prove  as  zealous  in  promoting  what  they  now 
see  to  be  the  mind  of  God  in  the  Scripture,  as  if  there  had 
never  been  such  a  thing  as  a  human  creed  in  the  world/  Thus 
far  this  author,  celebrated  by  all  the  friends  of  creeds  and 
confessions,  as  one  who  has  written  genteelly  and  unanswer- 
ably. Read  him,  my  good  Scripturista,  and  answer  him  fairly, 
and  we  will  all  come  over  to  your  side.  For  we  all  maintain, 
that  we  have  a  right  to  change  our  sentiments,  '  when  we  see 
just  reason  for  it.' 

But  till  then,  we  ought  to  persevere  in  the  truth,  how  much 
misrepresented  soever  it  is ;  yea,  although  dressed  up  as  absurd 
,n  itself,  and  the  native  source  of  almost  all  evil. 

But  since  you  are  so  orthodox  and  so  honest  a  man,  and 
apparently  a  man  of  sense,  pray  let  me  stand  and  wonder  a 
little,  and  in  my  turn  be  '  really  surprised,'  how  you  ever 
came  to  think  the  Christian  church  in  all  ages  meant  to  es- 
pouse tests  of  orthodoxy  in  the  sense  you  have  charged  upon 


'382  A  LETTER 

them.  Can  you  produce  any  history  to  prove  that  this  was 
the  case  in  the  primitive  times,  or  in  later  ages  ?  Does  Euse- 
bius  say*  so,  or  the  celebrated  Du  Pin  ?  Does  Sleiden,  or 
Burnet,  or  Neal,  or  Bowers,  or  any  other  historian  of  credit  ? 
To  be  sure,  so  honest  a  man  as  you,  would  not  charge  so  black 
and  absurd  an  opinion  upon  the  Christian  Church  in  all  ages, 
out  of  pure  wilful  malice,  on  purpose  to  bring  an  odium  upon 
all  the  friends  of  creeds.  And  how  a  man  of  your  good  sense 
could  possibly  be  guilty  of  so  gross  a  mistake,  is  very  hard  to 
say.  To  attribute  it  to  wilful  malice,  T  cannot;  to  attribute 
it  to  your  ignorance,  I  do  not  know  how  to  do  it.  And  on 
the  whole,  1  am  '  really  surprised.'  You  don't  pretend  to 
quote  but  one  author,  and  it  is  not  only  plain  from  his  piece, 
but  he  expressly  tells  me  by  word  of  mouth,  that  he  never 
meant  any  such  thing:  but  if  he  did,  how  does  this  prove 
that  the  Christian  church  in  all  ages  have  been  in  this 
scheme  ?  Or  what  warrant  had  you  to  raise  such  an  evil  re- 
port against  the  church  of  Christ  ? 

As  to  the  questions,  you  state,  p.  6,  7,  8.  &c.  The  an- 
swer is  short. — '  Who  have  right  to  make  such  tests  of  ortho- 
doxy ?'  No  body. — '  What  principles  should  be  put  into 
such  tests?'  None  at  all. — '  And  who  should  be  bound  by 
them  ?'  None 'in  this  world,  or  in  the  next. 

But  you  have  said  so  much  about  imposition,  and  persecu- 
tion, (p.  21 — 28.)  that  we  must  stop  here  a  few  minutes,  lest 
ignorant  people  should  be  imposed  on.  You  do  not  mean  to 
charge  your  own  scheme,  my  good  friend,  with  being  a  per- 
secuting scheme.  Nor  do  you  think  it  necessary  that  our 
churches  should  give  up  their  right  to  judge  for  themselves, 
and  become  indifferent  to  all  principles,  as  willing  to  receive 
an  Arminian  or  Socinian  to  communion,  as  an  orthodox 
Christian  ;  and  particularly  declare  that  it  is  no  matter  what 
men's  principles  be,  if  their  lives  are  but  good  ;  and  so  com- 
mence Pagans  m,  in  order  ttfavoid  the  dreadful  guilt  of  impo- 

m  The  Pagans  in  the  apostolic  age  exceedingly  cried  out  against  tlie  Christian 
sect,  for  damning  all  parties  but  their  own  :  i.  e.  for  preaching  as  their  Master  had 
hid  them,  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.  Mark  xvi.  16.  Nor  all  the  vari- 
ous tribes  of  heathen  idolaters,  with  all  their  different  gods,  were  in  full  charity 
with  one  another:  and  so  they  all  joined  to  look  upon  the  Christian  sect,  as  unsty- 
cial  and  inimical  to  the  human  kind.  See  Warburton'9  Biv.  Leg. 


TO  SCR1PTURISTA.  382 

and  persecution.  Pray,  my  good  Scripturista,  do  tell 
me  .who  acts  the  manly  honest  part,  and  who  the  part  of  an 
impostr  and  persecutor  ? 

Aristocles  was  educated  in  a  Socinian  church  at  Siena. 
One  article  of  their  faith  was,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  a  mere 
creature,  who  never  had  any  existence  before  he  was  born  of 
the   Virgin   Mary.     And   they  professed  to  understand  all 
those  texts  of  Scripture  which  speak  of  his  divinity,  to  imply 
no  more  than  that  he  was  God  by  office.     Aristocles,  at  the 
age  of  sixteen,  joined  in  full  communion  with  the  church, 
and  publicly  gave  his  assent  to  their  creed.     At  the  age  of 
trcenty-jour,  the  former  minister  being  dead,  Aristocles  was 
chosen  his  successor,  and  put  into  possession  of  all  their  par- 
sonage lands  for   life,  on  condition  he  should  continue   to 
preach   the  doctrines  embraced  by    that  particular  church. 
Which,  not  having  studied  the  controversy,  he  inadvertently 
engaged  to  do,  being  by  the  influence  of  education  full  in  the 
Socinian  scheme.     However,  within  two  years  after  his  ordi- 
nation, having  carefully  searched  the  Scriptures,  Aristocles 
was  fully  convinced  of  his  error,  and   became  a  sound  be- 
liever and  a  good  man.     And  having  counted  the  cost,  he 
c-ame  to  a  full  resolution,  at  the  risk  of  all  his  outward  com- 
forts, honestly  to  inform  his  church  and  congregation  of  the 
change  of  his  sentiments ;  and  to  preach  up  the  divinity  and 
satisfaction  of  Christ,  and  endeavour  to  set  these  points  in  the 
clearest  light  from  the  holy  Scriptures.     And  at  the  same 
time  honestly  to  acknowledge  to  his  people,  that  he  had  bro- 
ken,the  covenant,  which  in  the  times  of  his  ignorance  he  had 
made  with  them  ;  and  so  forfeited  all  claim  to  the  church's 
parsonage  lands,  which  accordingly  he  resigned.  '  And  now/ 
says  he,  (  if  you  will  choose  me  for  your  minister,  as  1  am,  I 
am  willing  to  serve  you  ;  but  I  claim  no  right  to  IMPOSI  a 
Calvinist  minister  upon  a  Socinian  church.' — And  pray,  sir. 
did  not  this  man  act  an  honest  part"  ? 

n  '  Did  I  therefore  alter  my  notions  as  to  articles  of  faith,  which  I  hatl  once  sub- 
scribed, and  came  to  perceive  the  falsehood  of  them,  I  would  think  m}  self  obliged 
to  follow  the  dictates  of  my  own  conscience,  and  would  endeavour  also  by  all  due 
means  to  persuade  the  church  to  which  I  belonged  to  change  their  faith  also.  But  if 
I  were  not  a1>le,  it  would  be  extremely  foolish  to  fancy  that  they  would  act  directly 
contrary  to  their  own  princij>les,in  continuing  me  their  minister,  and  endowing  mr 


SS4  A  LETTER 

Authades}'m  another  part  of  the  Christian  world,  where  Cal- 
vinism was  the  only  established  religion,  in  his  youth,  joined 
with  the  church  where  he  lived  ;  and  publicly  gave  his  as- 
sent, according  to  custom,  to  the  articles  of  the  Christian  faith, 
as  contained  in  their  formula,  which  were  strictly  Calvinistical, 
although  the  church  was  grown  very  lax  in  examinations, 
without  which,  formulas,  though  never  so  good,  will  not  an- 
swer the  end.  He  did  not  believe  their  articles  at  the  time, 
but  it  was  for  his  credit  to  be  a  church-member  ;  therefore  he 
kept  his  infidelity  to  himself,  and  made  a  public  profession. 
At  length  the  minister,  a  good  old  Calvinist,  died.  The 
church  and  congregation  invited  Authades  to  be  his  successor. 
All  the  time  he  was  on  probation,  his  chief  study  was  to  con- 
ceal himself.  For  by  this  time,  he  begun  to  be  full  in  the 
Socinian  scheme.  He  generally  preached  on  moral  subjects, 
as  these  gave  him  the  largest  scope  for  popular  declamation, 
and  the  best  advantages  to  hide  his  principles.  If  at  any 
time  he  preached  on  original  sin,  rcgeneration,justification,the 
satisfaction  of  Christ,  or  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as 
he  was  obliged  sometimes  to  do,  to  prevent  their  suspicions,  he 
took  the  greatest  care  to  express  himself  so,  as  that  his  secret 
sentiments  should  not  be  discovered  by  the  people.  How- 
ever, some  of  the  more  judicious  sort  suspected  him,  and  fear- 
ed he  meant  to  act  a  part.  Nevertheless,  a  great  majority 
invite  him  to  settle,  and  he  is  ordained.  He  expressly  co- 
venants to  preach  to  them  according  to  their  Calvinistic  arti- 
cles of  faith  ;  and  on  this  condition,  they  engage  to  pay  him 
100/.  per  annum.  He  knew  they  would  not  settle  him,  if  he 
did  not  delude  them.  And  he  still  knows  he  cannot  keep 
possession  of  the  100/.  per  annum,  unless  he  can  keep  them 
deluded.  Therefore  he  uses  all  his  art  to  conceal  himself 
from  the  congregation  in  general ;  and  in  the  mean  time,  is 
usually  cunning  to  make  proselytes  to  the  Socinian  scheme, 
in  a  secret  under-handed  way.  At  length,  having  made  a  par- 

with  that  salary,  which  they  had  allotted  to  a  pastor  that  should  teach  them  doc- 
triues  which  I  had  found  myself  obliged  to  abandon.  It  were  absured  to  imagine 
that  though  those  who  serve  the  altar  should  like  the  altar,  that  yet  I  should  live  by 
an  altar  which  I  had  abandoned,  and  set  up  one  in  opposition  to,  and  indeed  en- 
deavoured to  overthrow.'  Edit  on  Creeds,  p.  9J. 


TO     SCRIPTUIUSTA.  585 

ly  he  begins  to  take  ceurage  ;  and  slily  dresses  up  Calvinists  as 
Ingots,  and  vital  piety  as  enthusiasm  ;  and  more  openly  de- 
claims against  creeds  and  confessions,  as  impositions  and  enginct 
of  persecution,  the  result  of  a  proud  and  domineering  spirit ; 
and  in  a  word,  the  fatal  source  of  all  mischief-  For  so  they 
feel  to  him.  For  as  he  that  doth  evil  hatcth  the  light ;  so  he 
that  is  an  heretic  hates  orthodox  creeds  and  confessions. 
Poor  Authades  !  he  knows  very  well,  that  if  his  church  and 
congregation  would  strip  off  his  false  colours,  and  get  legal 
proof  of  his  true  character,  he  must  lose  his  10O/.  per  annual. 
He  thinks  it  no  roguery  for  him  to  impose  upon  his  church, 
and  cheat  them  out  of  their  money,  and  out  of  their  princi- 
ples; but  he  thinks  it  would  be  a  piece  of  the  greatest  tyranny, 
and  the  most  cruel  and  barbarous  persecution,  if  they  should 
find  him  out,  and  prove  him  to  be  a  Socinian,  and,  as  such, 
have  him  silenced,  and  take  away  his  100/.  per  annum. 
Thus  every  man  lives,  and  thus  he  dies ;  and  to  be  sure,  you 
will,  candid  Scripturista,  join  wilh  me  to  look  upon  and  abhor 
him,  as  a  thorough  practised  knave. 

For  you  grant,  the  Calvinistic  church  had  'a  right  to  judge 
lor  themselves,  what  was  the  true  sense  of  Scripture,  and 
what  principles  were  necessary  according  to  the  holy  Scrip- 
tares,  to  be  believed  and  professed,  in  order  to  be  admitted 
to  sealing  ordinances,  or  to  be  employed  as  a  public  instructor.' 
And  if  they  had  a  right  to  do  so,  their  doing  so  was  an  im- 
position upon  Authades ;  but  Authades  was  the  only  man  wor- 
thy of  imposition,  tie  imposed  upon  the  church  when  he 
joined  with  it  at  first ;  he  still  in  a  higher  degree  imposed  upon 
the  church  and  congregation  too,  when  he  settled  in  the  work 
of  the  ministry  among  them.  He  wanted  their  money.  He 
obtained  it  first  by  dissimulation,  and  kept  it  through  his  whole 
life  by  one  series  of  deceit. 

And  if  Calvinistic  churches  in  the  Christian  world,  in  this 
corrupt  age,  Have  reason  to  fear  that  there  are  too  many  of 
Authades'  character,  the  very  wolves  in  sheep'*  clothing  our 
Saviour  warned  us  to  beware  of,  (Mat.  vii.  15.)  can  you  de- 
sire, that  instead  of  obeying  the  divine  counsel,  they  should 
tamely  resign  their  'right  to  judge  for  themselves,' and  admit 
to  sealing  ordinances  and  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  any  that 

VOL.  in.  49 


A    LETTER 

offer,  without  any  regard  to  their  principles  t     And  to  suffer 
themselves  to  be  imposed  upon  in  the  highest  degree,  to  the 
great  injury  of  themselves,  and  of  their  posterity,  only  to  avoid 
the  bitter  resentments  of  such  men   as  Authades,  who  will 
cry  out,  Imposition  !  imposition  !  Persecution !  persecution  !  if 
you  only  insist  on  your  right,  as  Christians,  to  know  the  articles 
of  their  belief,  and  refuse  to  admit  them  to  communion  and 
into  the  ministry,  unless  they  appear  to  be  sound  in  the  faith  ? 
No,  sir,  you  can,  consistent  with  your  own  avowed  principles, 
desire  no  such  thing.  But  rather,  as  Christ  has  made  it  the  in- 
dispensable dnty  of  all  his   followers,  openly  to  profess   the 
doctrines  of  his  holy  religion,  (Mat.   x.    22.  32,  33.)  charg- 
ed   them    to  beware  of  false  prophets,  (Mat.   vii.    J5.)  and 
commended  them  for  trying  and  detecting   false  pretenders, 
(Rev.  ii.  2.)  and   as  even  common   sense  teaches,  that  the 
disciples  of  Christ  have  a  natural  right  to  know,  and  judge  of 
the  religious  sentiments  of  those  who  claim  to  be  their/e//t>a> 
disciplcs,  and  expect  to  be  treated  as  such  ;  so  instead   of  dis- 
countenancing the  little  concern  of  Calvinistic  churches  in  the 
present  day,  to  be  consistent  with  yourself,  you,  who   cannot 
Lear  to  be  thought  not  a  Calvinist,  ought  rather  to  blame  their 
too  great  indifference,  and  call  upon   them   to   awake,  stand 
upon  their  guard,  and  watch,  lest  cunning  deceitful  men  slily 
creep  in,  and  before  we  are  aware,  bring  another  gospel  into 
our  pulpits,  and  the  utmost  confusion   and  discord  into   our 
churches.  For  how  can  we  walk  together  except  we  be  agreed  ? 
(Amos  iii.  3.)     Or  keep  the  unity  oj  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace,  except  we  have  one  faith,  one  Lord,  one    baptism  ? 
(Eph.  iv.  3,  4,  5.) 

But  perhaps  you  will  say,  '  The  Calvinistsare  too  suspicious 
already.  There  are  no  Arminians,  no  Arians,  no  Socinians, 
&c.  among  us.  The  cry  is  raised  by  designing  men,  merely 
to  answer  political  ends.^  Oh,  my  good  Scripturista!  O,  that 
this  were  indeed  the  case!  O,  that  our  fears  were  quite 
groundless!  How  soon  would  1  believe  it,  if  you  could 
help  me  to  'see  just  reason  for  it.'  But  how  would  the  party 
through  New-England,  laugh  at  our  credulity  in  Connecticut, 
if  their  friends  among  us  could  make  us  believe  all  to  be  safe 
till  they  could  carry  their  points  here,  as  they  have  elsewhere. 


TO    SCR1PTUB1STA.  587 

In  New- Hampshire  province,  this  party  have  actually,  three 
years  ago,  got  things  so  ripe,  that  they  have  ventured  to  new- 
model  our  shorter  catechism  ;  to  alter,  or  entirely  leave  out,  the 
doctrines  of  the  Trinity,  of  the  decrees  of  our  first  parents 
being  created  holy,  of  original  sin,  Christ  satisfying  divint  jus- 
tice, effectual  culling,  justification,  adoption,  sanctification , 
assurance  of  God's  love,  perseverance  in  grace,  8cc.  and  to  ad- 
just the  whole  to  Dr.  Taylor's  scheme.  And  in  their  preface 
to  this  new  catechism,  they  tell  the  world,  that  'The  snarling 
of  party  bigots  will  be  little  regarded.'  i.  e.  if  all  the  Calvinists 
in  the  country  are  disobliged,  to  see  their  whole  scheme  given 
up,  they  do  not  care.  They  look  upon  us  all,  as  snarlitig  bi- 
guts,  not  to  be  regarded.  This  is  honest :  now  they  speak 
their  hearts  ;  and  tell  the  world  how  they  feel !  Come  from 
New-Hampshire  along  to  Boston,  and  see  there  a  celebrated 
D.  D.  the  head  of  a  large  party  !  lie  boldly  ridicules  the 
doctrine  of  the  trinity,  and  denies  the  doctrine  of  justification 
by  faith  alone,  in  the  sight  of  all  the  country,  in  his  book  of 
sermons  :  come  nearer  home,  come  to  Willingford  ;  see  there 
a  young  gentleman,  bold  to  settle  in  the  ministry,  although 
opposed  as  an  heretic  by  near  half  the  town.  Observe,  and 
see  how  he  conducts.  How  backward  to  let  his  people  know 
his  religious  sentiments,  while  on  probation  !  How  resolved, 
never  to  be  examined  by  the  consociation,  let  it  cost  what  it 
would,  though  charged  with  heresy,  and  cited  to  appear  be- 
fore them  !  Yea,  although  his  opposers  offer  to  accept  him 
for  their  minister,  if  upon  examination  he  should  appear  to  be 
sound  in  the  faith  !  And  yet  under  these,  even  under  these 
circumstances,  he  could  find  ministers  to  ordain  him  ! 

And  how  does  this  young  gentleman  conduct  since  his  or* 
dination  ?  Does  he  convince  the  town  that  he  is  a  sound 
Calvinist ;  as  he  might  easily  do,  if  he  were  ?  No,  far  from  it. 
Yea,  notwithstanding  his  opposers,  (who,  before  his  ordination, 
had  offered  to  receive  him  for  their  minister,  if  upon  exami- 
nation by  their  consociation,  he  should  be  approved  as  sound 
in  the  faith,)  now  since  his  ordination  renew  the  same  offer  : 
yea,  are  willing  to  leave  it  to  another  consociation,  (viz  Hart- 
ford south,)  then  convened  at  Wallingford  ;  and  if  they  ap- 
prove him,  declajrfe  they  will  aceept  him  for  their  minister : 


A    LETTER 

yet  Mr.  Dana,  refuses  to  do  it !  He  had  rather  run  the  ven- 
ture of  all  consequences,  than  to  be  examined  by  them  !  The 
town  may  break,  himself  be  deposed,  and  non-communion 
be  declared  against  him  and  his  party  :  but  let  it  cost  what 
it  will,  he  is  resolved  he  will  not  be  examined  by  them  !  But 
why  ?  He  knew  the  consociation  must  approve  him  as  or- 
thodox, if  he  appeared  to  believe  our  Confession  of  Faith. 
And  thus  the  whole  controversy  might,  have  been  settled  in 
an  hour  or  two;  which  now  is  not  likely  to  be  settled  these 
many  years.  And  he  knew  it  was  no  matter  whether  the 
consociation  had  jurisdiction  or  not,  if  both  he  and  his  op- 
posers  would  agree  to  submit  the  affair  to  them.  But  he  was 
resolved  not  to  do  it :  and  why  all  this,  if  he  was  a  sound  be- 
liever,! cannot  conceive0. 

Nor  is  this  all  :  for  he  has,  since  these  things,  even  intro- 
duced a  new  method  oj  taking  persons  into  full  communion  with 
the  church.  A  method,  which,  however  suited  to  the  latitudi- 
narian  scheme,  yet  is  entirely  subversive  of  the  very  founda- 
tion on  which  all  our  churches  in  New-England  were  original- 
ly settled.  To  be  sure  it  appears  so  to  me ;  and  because  1 
would  fain  know  your  opinion  of  it,  I  will  relate  the  case,  and 
state  three  questions  for  you  to  answer,  in  your  next  letter  to 
your  friend  Paulinus.  The  case  is  this  ;  the  first  church  in 
Wallingford,  under  the  Rev.  Mr.  Street,  their,  first  minister, 
were  formed  a  Calvinistic  church.  The  doctrines  of  Jaith 
which  they  drew  up,  to  be  used  in  the  admission  of  members, 
were  strictly  Calvinistid.  This  form  has  been  used,  in  that 
church  ever  since,  in  the  admission  of  members.  Their  for- 
mer ministers,  having  publicly  read  it  before  all  the  congre- 
gation, used  to  say  to  the  persons  to  be  admitted,  these  arti- 
cles of  the  Christian  Jaith  yuu  give  your  assent  unto.  Instead 
of  which,  Mr.  Dana,  their  present  minister,  (if  he  may  be  so 
called  after  deposition,)  says,  "  These  articles  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith  you  give  your  assent  unto,  so  far  as  you  think  them 
agreeable  to  the  word  of  God."  My  three  questions  are  these. 

Quest.  I.  Does  Mr.  Dana,  or  his  church,  by  such  a  pro- 
fession as  above,  know  what  principles  persons  pretend  to  be 
of,  whom  they  thus  admit  to  special  ordinances  ?  Can  they, 

•  'Far  the  foots  abore,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Mr.  Bell's  Remarks,  &e. 


TO  SCRIPTUR1STA.  ggg 

by  such  a  profession,  know,  whether  they  mean  to  be  Papists, 
or  Protestants,  Socinians,  Arians,  Pelagians,  Arminians  or 
Antinomians  ?  If  they  can,  pray  tell  me  how  ?  For  all  these 
different  denominations  believe,  and  may  profess  to  believe 
these  Calvinistic  articles  of  faith,  so  far  as  they  think  them  to 
be  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God. 

But  if  by  this  profession  you  grant  Mr.  Dana,  and  his 
church,  cannot  form  any  proper  judgment  of  the  principles 
of  those  who  are  thus  admitted,  whether  they  are  Papists,  or 
Protestants,  Socinians,  'Arians,  &c.  I  would  inquire, 

Quest.  II.  Are  Papists,  Socinians,  Arians,  &c.  all  of 
them  orthodox  enough  to  be  admited  to  sealing  ordinances  ? 
If  not — 

Quest.  III.  How  can  Mr.  Dana's  conduct,  in  this  affair, 
be  vindicated,  who  receives  members  upon  a  profession, 
which  any  heretic  in  the  Christian  world  can  make,  and  still 
retain  all  his  errors? 

Will  it  do  to  say,  in  his  excuse, '  That  some  of  his  church 
are  attached  to  the  Calvinistic  scheme  in  which  they  have 
been  educated  ;  and  will  be  offended  if  he  lays  aside  their 
old  doctrines  of  faith,  and  makes  a  new  creed  of  a  different 
stamp  :  and  perhaps  they  may  leave  him,  and  join  with  those 
who  have  already  rejected  him.  If  he  should  discover  his  pe- 
culiar principles  so  plainly,  perhaps  he  would  soon  have  but 
few  hearers.  And  so  this  will  not  do.  "  And  it  is  right  to 
dissemble  a  little  in  so  good  a  cause."  And  besides,  if  he 
himself  does  not  believe  their  doctrines  of  faith,  it  is  a  hard- 
ship, to  oblige  him  to  lead  his  people,  from  time  to  time,  to 
profess,  in  the  most  public  and  solemn  manner,  their  belief 
of  them;  and  to  keep  back  such  from  special  ordinances,  who 
scruple  to  make  such  a  profession.  To  prevent  all  which 
difficulties,  he  first  reads  over  thiir  old  doctrints  oj  faith,  for 
a  blind  to  the  Calvinist  part  of  his  church  ;  and  then  he  ex- 
presses himself  so,  as  to  leave  those  whom  he  admits,  at  full 
liberty  to  believe  what  they  please,  and  yet  be  quite  ortho- 
dox enough  at  the  same  time  to  be  admitted  into  the  church 
of  Christ,  as  his  true  and  faithful  followers.'  But  if  this  be 
the  case,  does  not  one  of  our  former  questions  need  to  be  re- 
considered, viz.  { Is  it  of  any  importance  what  men's  princi- 


A    LETTER,    &.C. 

pies  be,  if  their  lives  are  but  good  ?'  For  if  indeed  it  is  of  no 
importance,  and  if  pious  frauds  are  justifiable  ;  then  we  may 
all  do  as  Mr.  Dana  does.  But  if  it  is  of  importance,  and  if 
we  must  not  dissemble,  how  can  his  conduct  be  justified  ?  Or, 
how  can  any  orthodox  church  in  JNew-England  safely  re- 
ceive members,  by  virtue  of  a  recommendation  from  his 
church,  as  being  sound  in  the  faith,  when  it  is  not  known 
what  their  faith  is  ? 

A  speedy  and  full  answer  to  these  questions  will  greatly 
oblige, 

Sir,  your  already  very  much  obliged, 
and  very  humble  servant, 

PAU  LINUS. 


THE 


HALF- WAY  COVENANT 


DIALOGUE. 


And  look  that  then  make  them  after  their  Pattern,  which  xva«  shewed  thee 
.Q  the  Mount  JEHOVAH- 

Teaching  them  to  observe  all  thing*  whatsoever  I  hare  commanded   you : 
And,  lo,  I  am -with  ton.  JESCS  CHRIST. 


DIALOGUE, 

BETWEEN  A  MINISTER  AND  HIS  PARISHIONER, 


lONCiUMNG   TRB 


HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 


PARISHIONER.  SIR,  I  am  dissatisfied  with  a  part  of  your 
public  conduct,  and  am  come  to  open  my  mind  freely  to  you, 
if  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to  allow  me  an  opportunity. 

MINISTER.  Sir,  I  am  now  at  leisure,  and  at  your  service, 
and  your  honest  frankness  gives  me  pleasure.  Between  you 
and  me  alone,  to  let  me  know  the  objections  you  have  against 
any  part  of  my  conduct,  is  to  act  a  friendly  part.  It  is  more 
kind  and  christian-like,  than  to  keep  your  thoughts  to  your- 
self, to  engender  a  secret  disaffection  in  your  heart.  And  you 
may  be  quite  assured,  that  not  only  now,  but  in  all  future 
times,  I  shall  with  pleasure  listen  to  any  objections  against 
my  public  administrations  proposed  in  a  friendly,  candid 
manner ;  and  will  be  ready  to  be  set  right,  wherein  I  am 
wrong ;  or  to  let  you  know  the  reasons  of  my  conduct.  For, 
next  to  the  light  of  God's  countenance,  and  the  approbation 
of  my  own  conscience,  I  prize  the  good  opinion  of  my  fellow- 
men  :  and  particularly,  I  greatly  pri/e  the  testimony  of  the 
consciences  of  my  own  people  in  my  behalf.  To  your  con- 
science, therefore,  1  am  now  willing  to  approve  myself. — 
Open  your  mind  without  the  least  reserve. 

PAR.  I  have  lately  moved  into  the  parish  ;  I  had  owned 
the  covenant  in  the  town  I  came  from  ;  my  other  children 
have  been  baptised ;  we  have  now  another  child  for  baptism, 
and  I  hear  you  refuse  to  baptise  the  children  of  any  but  those 
who  are  in  full  communion.  This  gives  me  pain. 

VOL.  in.  50 


394  THE  HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 

MIN.  I  cannot  give  you  pain,  without  feeling  pain  myself. 
But  you  would  not  desire  that  I  should  go  counter  to  the  will 
of  my  LORU  and  MASTER,  while  acting  in  his  name,  as  his 
minister ;  nor  would  this  be  a  likely  means  to  obtain  a  bless- 
ing for  your  child.  And  if  I  am  warranted  by  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  to  baptise  your  child,  you  are  very  sensible  my  repu- 
tation, and  every  worldly  interest,  will  join  to  prompt  me  to 
it.  You  will  easily  make  a  convert  of  me  to  your  opinion,  if 
you  can  point  out  one  text  of  Scripture  to  justify  that  com- 
mon practice. 

P.  I  have  not  studied  the  point.  I  cannot  mention  any 
texts  of  Scripture  ;  but  it  is  the  custom  where  I  was  born  and 
brought  up;  and  I  knew  not  but  that  it  was  the  custom  every 
where,  until  I  moved  into  this  parish. 

M.  No,  Sir,  it  is  not  the  custom  every  where;  it  was  not 
the  custom  where  I  was  born  and  brought  up  ;  and  there  are 
many  churches  in  the  country  that  are  not  in  the  practice. — At 
the  first  settling  of  New-England,  there  was,  so  far  as  I  know, 
not  one  church  that  allowed  baptism  to  the  children  of  any 
but  those  whose  parents  were  one  or  both  in  full  communion. 
About  40  years  after  the  first  church  was  formed,  this  custom 
%vas  brought  in  by  a  synod  that  met  at  Boston,  1062.  Many 
ministers  and  churches  zealously  opposed  it  at  the  time,  and 
even  to  this  day  the  custom  is  not  become  universal :  and  of 
late  a  considerable  number  of  churches,  who  had  adopted  the 
practice  have  laid  it  aside.  It  is  not  practised  at  all  in  the 
church  of  Scotland,  as  I  have  been  informed  by  a  rev.  gen- 
tleman of  an  established  reputation,  who  has  lately  been  invit- 
ed, and  who  has  removed  from  thence,  to  the  Presidency  of 
New-Jersey  College.  And  it  is  certain  the  confession  of 
faith,  catechisms,  and  directory  of  the  church  of  Scotland, 
make  no  mention  of  it :  neither  is  the  practice  mentioned  in 
the  Saybrook  platform,  which  has  been  generally  received 
by  the  churches  in  Connecticut;  for  the  council  which  met 
at  Saybrook,  did  not  see  cause  to  adopt  that  practice, 
although  it  had  been  introduced  by  the  synod  at  Boston. — 
But  if  you  had  not  studied  the  point  before  you  owned  the 
covenant;  and  if  you  took  it  for  granted,  that  it  was  right, 
merely  from  education  ;  yet  you  are  able  to  let  me  know  in 


LIALOCUEI. 

what  views,  and  from  what  views,  and  from  what  motives  you 
owned  the  covenant :  as  I  suppose  you  meant  to  act  con- 
scientiously. 

P.  It  was  the  common  opinion  that  none  ought  to  join  in 
full  communion,  and  come  to  the  Lord's  table,  but  those 
that  were  godly,  that  had  on  a  wedding  garment,  l(st  coming 
unworthily,  they  cat  and  drink  damnation  to  themselves.  But  it 
was  thought  that  graceless  persons  might  own  the  covenanft 
and  have  their  children  baptised  ;  and  this  was  my  opinion, 
and  [  acted  on  these  principles. 

M.  Yes,  Sir,  and  I  suppose  the  generality  of  people  in  the 
country  that  own  the  covenant,  in  these  times,  act  on  these 
principles.  But  it  was  not  so  from  the  beginning.  The  sy- 
nod in  l6()2,  who  first  brought  in  the  practice,  were  not  in 
this  scheme.  It  was  known  and  owned,  and  publicly  declar- 
ed on  all  hands,  in  the  time  of  it,  "  That  the  synod  did 
acknowledge,  that  there  ought  to  be  true  saving  faith  in  the 
parent,  according  to  the  judgment  of  rational  charity,  or  else 
the  child  ought  not  to  be  baptised  p. 

P.  But,  Sir,  I  am  surprised  !  Is  this  true?  Was  this  really 
the  opinion  of  those  who  first  brought  in  this  practice  : 

M.  It  is  true,  it  was  indeed  their  opinion,  if  we  may  give 
credit  to  their  own  declarations.  No  man  who  was  for  this 
practice,  perhaps,  was  of  more  note  than  the  Rev.  Dr.  In- 
crease Mather,  of  Boston,  who  was  a  member  of  the  synod, 
and  afterwards  wrote  in  defence  of  this  practice  ;  and  no  au- 
thor can  in  more  express  language  declare  his  sentiments. 
These  are  his  own  words,  in  a  pamphlet,  entitled,  "  A  Dis- 
course concerning  the  subject  of  Baptism,  wherein  the  pre- 
sent controversies  that  are  agitated  in  the  New-England 
Churches,  are  from  Scripture  and  reason  modestly  inquired 
into."  p.  52,  53.  "  In  the  fifth  place,  it  may  be  alleged, 
that  the  persons  in  question,  either  have  to  the  judgment  of 
charity,  a  justifying  faith,  or  not.  If  not,  they,  and  conse- 
quently their  children,  are  not  baptisable.  If  they  have,  then 
they  are  forthwith  admissible  to  the  Lord's  supper.  Answer. 

p  See  A  Defence  of  the  Answer  and  Arguments  of  the  Synod,  Sec.  against 
the  reply  made  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Davenport,  Pastor  of  the  ChurcU  at  New. 
Haven  Preface,  p.  23.  24. 


THE    HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

"  I.  I  do  readily  acknowledge,  that  as  it  is  only  a  justify 
ing  faith  which  giveth  right  to  baptism  before  God  ;  so  it  is 
the  profession  or  visibility   of  this  faith,    that  giveth  right 
thereunto  before  the  church.     Some  have  maintained  that  a 
dogmatical  historical  faith,  or  a  faith  of  assent  to  the  truth  of 
the  Gospel  doth  entitle  to  baptism.     But  the  common  pro- 
testant  doctrine  against   the   papists  speaketh   otherwise. — 
TWough  a  man  should  believe  all  that  the  holy  Scriptures  say 
c^'cerning  God  and  Christ,  yet,  if  he  doth  not  consent  with 
his  heart,  that  this  God  shall  be  his  God,  and  this  Christ  his 
Saviour,  he  hath  not  right  to  baptism  in  the  sight  of  God ; 
or  if  he  doth  not  profess  such  a  consent,  (which  is  implied  in 
the  proposition  before  us,  when  it  is  said  concerning  the  persons 
in  question,  that  they  gavt  ttp  themselves  to  the  Lord,)  he  can- 
not justly  claim  baptism.     In  most  churches  in  the  world, 
men  own  the  creed,  (called  the  apostles',)  before  baptism. 
Now  therein  they  say,  I  believe  in  God,  and  not  only  1  be- 
lieve God,  viz.  with  a  faith  of  assent  only  in  the  understand- 
ing.    Now  to  believe  in  God,  implieth  a  consent  of  the  will ', 
choosing  this  God  for  my  God.     And  considering  that  in 
baptism,  there  is  a  profession  of  repentance  for  past  trans- 
gressions, and  an  engagement  to  walk  in  newness  of  life  for  time 
to  come,  (Mark  i.  4.  1  Pet.  i.  9.)  and  that  it  cometh  in  the 
room  of  circumcision,  which  was  a  seal  of  the  righteousness 
of  faith;    (Rom.  iv.  11.)     and  that  thereby  remission  of  sins 
is  sealed.     (Acts  ii.  38.)     Which  remission  is  not  promised 
to  any  faith  but  justifying  ;  also  that  baptism  is  said  to  save. 
(1  Pet.  iii.  21.)     And  they  that  are  baptised  are  said  to  be  in 
Christ.    (Gal.  iii.  27.)    And  to  have  communion  with  Christ 
in  respect  of  his  death  and  resurrection.    (Rom.  vi.  4,  5.  Col. 
ii.  1£.)     I  say,  from  these  and  many  the   like  considerations, 
I  am  fully  persuaded  that  it  is  not  a  mere  historical,  but  justi- 
fying faith,  which  giveth  right  to  baptism." 

These  are  his  words,  ancTthey  are  as  plain  and  express  as 
could  be  desired.  *  %t 

P.  But  if  this  was  in  fact  the  case,  I  cannot  conceive  what 
room  there  was  for  the  half-way  covenant  !  for  such  persons 
might  consistently  profess  to  comply  with  the  whole  cove- 
nant, and  not  stop  half-way  in  practice,  but  come  up  to  all  or- 
dinances. 


DIALOGUE    I. 

M.  You  are  right  in  this  observation.     Persona  so  quali- 
fied, who  have  been  brought  up  under  the  light  of  the  Gos- 
pel from  their  infancy,  by  pious  parents,  and   godly   minis- 
ters, and  now  adult,  and  become  godly  themselves,  profess- 
ing and   practising    accordingly,  are,  in  a  judgment  of  ra. 
tional  charity,  as  fit   for  the   Lord's   table,  as  to  offer   their 
children  in  baptism.     Nor  is  it  merely  a  privilege  they  may 
claim,  to  come  to  the  Lord's  supper  along  with  their  Chris- 
tian brethren,   and  join   with   them  in  commemorating   the 
death  of  Christ;  but   it  is  their  indispensable  duty.       They 
are  bound  to  do  it  by  the  express  command  of  Christ.     Luke 
xxii.  19.     This  do  in  remtmbrance  of  me.     And  to  neglect 
it,  is  practically  to  renounce  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ. 
And  is  it  right  for  ministers  to  teach  the  disciples  of  Christ 
to  live  in  the  breach  of  the  least  of  his  commands  ? 
P.   But  what  would  Dr.  Mather  say  to  this  ? 
M.  You  may  hear,  for  these  are  his  words:  (p.  54.)  u  It 
will  not  follow  that  these  persons  are  immediately  to  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  Lord's  table,  or  to  the  privileges  of  full  com- 
munion.    For  more  full  and  satisfactory  cvidtnces  of  regene- 
ration and  of  Christian  proficiency,  are  requisite  in  order  to 
admission  to  the    Lord's   table,  than  in  order  to  baptism." 
And  if  you  will  read  Mather's  Magnolia,  you  will  see  that 
they  insisted  on  initial  grace  in  order  to  baptism,  but  suppos- 
ed greater  attainments  necessary  in  order  to  the  LORD'S  sup- 
per.    But    if  that  command   of  Christ  is  binding  on  weak 
Christians,  who  are  indeed  real  Christians:  Luke  xxii.    li). 
to  say  they  are  not  to  be  admitted  to  the  Lord's  table,  is  to 
say,  it  is  not  lawful  they  should  obey  the  command  of  Christ. 
So  this  half-way  covenant,  while  it  teaches  for  doctrine  the 
commandment  of  men,  sets  aside  the  command  of  Christ. 

P.  I  am  in  the  same  opinion  ;  nor  can  I  see  any  room 
for  the  half-wav  covenant  on  Mather's  scheme.  But  I  have 

J 

heard  that  Stoddard's  scheme  favours  the  present  practice. 

M.  This  is  a  mistake.  Mr.  Stoddard  of  Northampton, 
never  practised  the  half-way,  i.  e.  he  never  admitted  any 
to  have  baptism  for  their  children,  but  those  who  were  in  full 
communion;  and  he  expressly  declares,  that  those  who  have 
been  baptised  in  infancy,  and  owned  their  covenant,  are  oblig- 


398  THE  HALF-WAY    COVKNANT. 

ed  in  duty  to  come  to  the  LORD'S  table.  Yea,  he  says, 
(Appeal,  p.  30.  edit.  2.)  "  It  is  a  scandal  if  they  do  not,  and 
the  church  may  call  them  to  an  account  for  their  neglect. 
It  is  a  visible  contempt  cast  upon  the  ordinance."  He  held 
the  Lord's  supper  to  be  a  converting  ordinance.  And  that 
unconverted  men,  knowing  themselves  to  be  such,  might  law- 
fully come.  And  that  it  was  as  lawful  to  come  to  the  Lord's 
supper  as  to  baptism,  p.  77.;  so  that  there  was  no  room  for 
any  half-way  covenant  or  half-way  practice,  on  his  scheme. 
For  unconverted  men,  knowing  themselves  to  be  such,  may 
on  his  scheme  come  not  only  half-way,  but  to  all  ordinances, 
and  to  one  as  well  as  to  another. 

P.  I  never  heard  of  these  things  till  now,  and  I  know  not 
what  to  think  or  what  to  say.  It  seems  as  if  the  half-way 
covenant,  and  the  half-way  practice,  could  not  be  made  con- 
sistent on  any  scheme. 

M.  If  the  covenant  owned  is  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  if 
the  parent  acts  understandingly  and  honestly  in  the  affair,  he 
is  a  good  man,  he  has  a  right  before  God  to  baptism  for  his 
children,  and  an  equal  right  to  the  LORD'S  supper;  yea,  that 
command  ofCnRisT,in  Luke xxii.  19.  renders  it  hisindispensa- 
ble  duty  to  attend  the  Lord's  supper  1.  But  if  the  covenant 
owned  is  not  the  covenant  of  grace,  those  who  have  owned  it, 
have  in  the  sight  of  Gon  no  right  to  either  of  those  ordinan- 
ces, which  are  seals  of  that  covenant,  and  of  no  other :  no 
more  right  than  if  they  had  given  their  assent  to  any  chap- 
ter in  the  apocrypha.  Did  you  never  hear  it  observed  and 
talked  of,  that  those  who  own  the  covenant,  make  as  full  and 
large  a  profession  as  they  who  join  in  full  communion  ? 

P.  Yes.  And  my  former  minister  read  the  same  covenant 
to  such  as  owned  the  covenant,  as  he  did  to  those  that  joined 
in  full  communion,  word  for  word,  only  one  did  not  promise 

q  Under  the  Jewish  dispensation  ilrwas  lawful  for  an  Israelite,  not  hindered  by 
any  external  impediment,  voluntarily  to  absent  himself  from  the  passover,  if  he 
•was  ceremonially  unclean.  But  under  the  Gospel,  an  Israelite  indeed,  of  suffi- 
cient age  and  understanding,  and  not  hindered  by  any  natural  impediment,  may 
not  voluntarily  absent  himself  from  the  Lord's  supper,  unless  disqualified  by  spi- 
ritual unolcanness,  by  his  own  personal  wickedness  unrepented  of,  or  for  which 
he  has  not  made  Gospel  satisfaction.  And  such  an  one  is  equally  unfit  to  offer 
his  child  in  baptism.  Xum.  ix.  13.  Mat.  v.  23,  24. 


1H A  LOU GE    1. 

ro  come  up  to  all  ordinances,  and  the  other  did.    And  I  must 
confess  this  sometimes  stumbled  me. 

M.  If  you  please,  sir,  I  will  repeat  the  covenant  we  use 
when  any  join  in  full  communion,  the  same  that  was  read  to 
me  by  iny  minister,  when  I  joined  to  the  church  about  three 
and  thirty  years  ago.  A  brief  summary  of  it  is  this  :  "  You 
do  now  in  the  presence  of  the  dread  Majesty  of  heaven  and 
earth,  and  before  angels  and  men,  in  the  sincerity  of  your 
soul,  avouch  the  Lord  Jehovah  to  be  your  sovereign  Lord 
and  supreme  Good,  through  Jesus  Christ;  and  solemnly  de- 
vote and  give  up  yourself  to  his  fear  and  service,  to  walk  in 
all  his  ways,  and  keep  all  his  commands,  seeking  his  glory," 
&c.  And  is  this  more  full  and  express  than  your  former  mi- 
nister used  when  persons  owned  the  covenant  ? 

P.  I  think  not ;  it  is  very  much  like  it. 

M.  So  far  as  I  am  acquainted,  the  forms  in  use  all  over  the 
country,  a  very  few  instances  excepted,  are  very  much  alike. 
The  only  difference  of  any  consequence  lies  in  practice :  I 
think  it  my  duty,  in  private  as  well  as  public,  to  explain  the 
covenant,  and  to  see  to  it,  that  persons  understand  it  before 
they  make  it,  and  know  what  they  are  about  to  do,  and  are 
sufficiently  instructed  that  it  is  a  wicked  thing  to  lie  to  God 
reith  their  mouths,  and  flatter  him  with  their  lips. 

P.  Very  well,  sir,  no  doubt  this  is  a  minister's  duty.  But, 
alas  !  for  me,  I  never  knew  what  I  was  about,  nor  considered 
the  import  of  the  words  I  publicly  gave  my  consent  unto. 
1  knew  myself  to  be  unconverted.  I  meant  to  own  the  cove- 
nant, as  the  phrase  is,  and  have  my  children  baptised ;  but 
I  had  no  design  to  profess  godliness,  or  to  pretend  a  real 
compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace.  This  godly  people 
may  do :  but  it  had  been  great  hypocrisy  in  me  to  do  it.  To 
lie  to  men  is  bad,  but  to  lie  to  God  is  worse.  I  supposed 
that  owning  the  covenant,  was  what  the  unconverted  might 
do. 

M.  How  can  a  man  that  knows  himself  to  be  unconverted, 
dead  in  sin,  and  destitute  of  the  grace  of  God,  stand  up  be- 
fore the  whole  congregation,  and  say,  "  I  do  now  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  dread  Majesty  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  before 
angels  and  men,  avouch,  the  Lord  Jehovah  to  be  my  sovereign 


400  THE  HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 

Lord  and  supreme  good,  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  solemnly 
devote  and  give  up  myself  to  his  fear  and  service,  to  walk 
in  all  his  ways,  and  keep  all  his  commands,  seeking  his 
glory?" 

P.  I  freely  own  I  knew  not  what  1  did,  when  I  owned 
the  covenant.  But  you  hinted  just  now,  that  this  is  not  the 
custom  in  all  the  churches  where  the  half-way  practice  takes 
place. 

M.  I  have  heard  of  a  few  churches  where  the  ministers 
have  of  late  drawn  up  a  new  form  for  those  who  own  the  co- 
venant, essentially  different  from  that  which  is  used  when  any 
one  is  admitted  to  full-communion  ;  which  new  form  design- 
edly leaves  out  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  contains  a  profes- 
sion, which  unconverted  men  may  make,  and  yet  speak  true. 
And  this,  with  greater  propriety,  may  be  called  the  half-way 
covenant,  although  indeed  it  does  not  go  half-way,  and  gives 
no  right  to  those  ordinances  which  are  seals  of  the  covenant 
of  grace.  Besides,  God  never  did  propose  any  covenant  to 
mankind  but  which  required  real  holiness  on  man's  part;  and 
any  covenant  short  of  this  is  a  mere  human  device.  It  is 
teaching  for  doctrine  the  commandment  of  men,  directly 
contrary  to  the  express  orders  of  Jesus  Christ  to  his  apos- 
tles, and  all  their  successors.  Mat.  xxviii.  20.  Teaching  them 
to  observe  whatsoever  I  command  you.  The  covenant  with 
Adam  required  perfect  holiness,  without  any  provision  for 
pardon  in  case  of  transgression.  The  covenant  at  Sinai  writ- 
ten on  the  two  tables  of  stone,  called  the  tables  of  the  covenant, 
containing  ten  commands,  according  to  our  Saviour's  inter- 
pretation, required  them  to  love  God  with  all  their  heart,  and 
their  neighbour  as  themselves,  in  which  the  sum  of  all  virtue 
consists  ;,(Mat.  xxii.  37 — 40,)4but,  however,  it  made  provision 
for  pardon  to  the  true  penitent,  through  shedding  of  blood, 
but  not  for  impenitent  sinners.  Lev.  xxvi.  I  Kings  viii.  And 
it  is  acknowledged  on  all  Hands,  Antinomians  excepted,  that 
repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  Christ  are  required 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  revealed  in  the  Gospel.  These 
ungracious  covenants,  therefore,  are  not  from  heaven,  but  of 
men. 


DIALOGUE  1.  401 

P.  My  conscience  is  convinced.  I  am  obliged  to  give  up 
the  half-way  covenant ;  but  it  is  with  no  small  reluctance : 
for  what  will  become  of  my  child  ':  must  it  remain  unbaptis- 
ed  ?  I  cannot  bear  the  thought.  What  shall  I  do  ? 

M.  Is  it  lawful  for  a  minister  of  Christ  to  baptise  any 
•ne  without  a  divine  warrant  ? 

P.  No. 

M.  Is  baptism,  administered  without  a  divine  warrant,  a 
likely  means  to  do  a  child  any  good  ? 

P.  No.  But  where  is  your  commission  to  baptise  ?  and  what 
is  the  tenour  of  it  ? 

M.  In  Mark.  xvi.  15,  16.  Go  prtach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature.  Thus  unlimited  is  the  commission  to  preach  the 
Gospel.  And  he  that  belitveth  and  is  baptised  shall  be  saved. 
The  faith  which  entitles  to  baptism  is  a  saving  faith.  Accor- 
dingly, when  the  multitude  were  pricked  at  the  heart,  on  the 
day  of  pentecost,  Peter  did  not  «ay,  oicn  the  covenant ;  nor  did 
he  say,  join  in  full  communion  ;  but  repent  first  of  all,  and  then 
be  baptised  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  for  the  remission  of 
sins.  Acts  ii.  38.  And  with  the  same  sacred  regard  to  the 

o 

divine  commission,  Philip  said  to  the  eunuch,  ifthou  believest 
with  all  thine  heart  thou  mayest.  Acts  viii.  37.  And  it  is  a  set- 
tled point  on  all  hands,  that  if  parents  have  no  right  to  bap- 
tism for  themselves,  their  children  can  have  no  right  on  theii 
account. 

P.  Is  it  lawful  for  me  to  join  in  full  communion,  when  I 
know  I  have  no  grace  ?  can  I  answer  it  to  God  ? 

M.  You  remember  when  the  King  came  in  to  view  the 
guests,  he  saw  a  man  among  them  not  having  on  a  wedding 
garment,  to  whom  he  said,  friend,  how  earnest  thou  in  hither, 
not  hating  on  a  wedding  garment  ?  and  he  was  speechless.  To 
make  a  false  and  lying  profession  is  inexcusable  wickedness.  It 
is  true,  there  will  be  tares  along  with  the  wheat,  but  it  is  the 
devil  sows  them  there,  and  not  the  servants.  And  if  false 
brethren  come  into  the  church,  they  creep  in  unawares  ;  they 
have  no  right  to  be  there. 

P.  But  does  not  my  own  baptism  render  me  a  church  mem- 
ber, and  entitle  my  child  to  baptism,  although  I  am  destitute 
of  faith  and  repentance  ?  ^> 

VOL.    111.  51 


402  THE  HALF-WAY  COTENANT. 

M.  "  Circumcision  verily  profiteth  if  thou  keep  the  law  : 
but  if  thou  be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision  is 
made  uncircumcision.  For  he  is  not  a  Jew  that  is  one  out- 
wardly ;  neither  is  that  circumcision  which  is  outward  in  the 
flesh."  Rom.  ii.  2o.  28.  One  baptised  in  infancy,  who  in. 
the  sigVitof  God  practically  renounces  his  baptism  when  adult, 
as  all  do  who  reject  Christ  and  continue  impenitent,  is  not 
considered  by  God  as  entitled  to  the  blessings  of  the  new 
covenant,  but  as  under  the  curse  of  the  law.  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  not  is  condemned  already,  and  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him."  John  iii.  19.  36.  And  what  right  hath 
this  man  to  the  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  the  sight  of 
God,  who  is  by  Christ  himself  declared  to  be  under  condem- 
nation and  wrath  ? 

P.  Well,  if  I  have  no  right  to  baptism  for  my  poor  child,  I 
must  be  silent.  But  I  wish  it  might  be  baptised. 

M,  Will  you  allow  me  to  examine  the  earnest  desire  of 
baptism  which  you  express  ? 

P.  I  ought  to  be  willing.  I  ought  to  know  the  motives 
that  influence  me  :  for  God  knows  them,  whether  I  do  or  not. 

M.  I  am  glad  to  see  your  mind  so  serious  and  candid.  If 
this  temper  should  continue,  I  should  hope  all  your  doubts 
would  be  removed.  For  1  can  tell  you  seriously,  I  am  wil- 
ling to  baptise  your  child,  provided  you  do  understandingly 
and  with  all  your  heart  desire  it. 

P.  And  do  I  not  ?  I  should  be  a  cruel  parent  if  I  did  not. 

M.  Baptism,  you  know,  is  administered  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Ho/y  Ghost.  In  baptism, 
therefore,  you  dedicate  your  child  to  God  the  Father,  through 
Jesus  Christ  his  Son,  to  be  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and 
so  give  up  your  child  with  all  your  heart  to  the  Lord  for  ever 
to  be  educated  for  God,  and  to  be  for  him,  and  for  him 
alone,  in  time  and  to  eternity.  And  do  you  love  God  to  that  de- 
gree, as  thus  to  give  him  your  child  for  ever  ?  if  so,  why  do 
not  you  give  yourself  to  God,  first  of  all  ?  you  love  your  child, 
but  you  love  yourself  better.  First  of  all  then  cease  to  be 
cruel  to  your  own  soul ;  no  longer  practically  renounce  your 
own  baptism,  by  turning  your  back  on  God  and  the  Redeem- 
er; but  act  up  to  its  genuine  import ;  give  yourself  to  God, 


DIALOGUE  I.  403 

through  Jesus  Christ  his  Son,  that  you  may  become  the  tem- 
ple of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  thus  ratify  what  your  parents 
did  for  you,  when  they  dedicated  you  to  God  in  baptism. — 
This  is  that  owning  of  the  baptismal  covenant  which  God  re- 
quires at  your  hands.  Then  bring  your  dear  child,  and  con- 
secrate it  to  God  in  sincerity  and  truth.  This  is  the  way,  the 
right  way  for  a  blessing.  But  if,  instead  of  this,  you  are  mov- 
ed only  by  custom,  by  a  sense  of  worldly  honour,  by  pride  and 
shame  ;  and  desire  that  holy  ordinance  to  be  administered  to 
your  child  from  unholy  motives,  as  Simon  Magus  desired  the 
miraculous  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  answer  his  carnal  ends  ; 
God  knows  it,  and  all  the  world  will  know  it  at  the  day  of 
judgment.  Pray,  how  was  it  when  your  other  children 
were  baptised  ?  and  how  is  it  in  general  to  all  appearance 
when  people  own  the  covenant  and  get  their  children  baptis- 
ed ?  are  they  brought  up  for  God  ;  or  only  to  serve  divers  lusts 
and  pleasures  ?  Look  through  the  country  wherever  you  are 
acquainted  ;  the  youth  learn  to  dress,  to  sing,  to  dance  ;  but  do 
their  parents  appear  to  understand  that  they  have  devoted 
them  to  God  ?  and  is  this  evidently  their  great  concern  to 
bring  them  up  for  God  ?  But  to  leave  others,  and  to  attend 
only  to  your  own  heart ;  can  it  be  true,  that  you  have  a  heart 
to  give  your  child  to  God,  and  yet  not  a  heart  to  give  yourself 
to  him  F  think  of  it,  my  dear  sir. 

P.  1  must  grant  that  it  is  absurd  and  inconsistent,  for  a, 
parent  to  pretend  to  have  a  heart  to  give  his  child  to  God, 
and  yet  have  no  heart  to  give  himself  to  him.  But  I  do  de- 
sire to  give  myself  to  God. 

M.  Pray,  sir,  what  then  hinders  you  from  giving  yourself 
to  him  ?  you  may  desire  to  escape  everlasting  migery,  you 
may  desire  to  be  happy  for  ever,  so  Balaam  did  ;  self-lovt 
may  excite  to  this,  where  there  is  no  love  to  God  in  the  heart  : 
but  if  you  love  God  so  as  to  be  willing  to  have  him  for  your 
portion  ;  if  you  love  Christ  so  as  to  be  willing  to  deny  your- 
self, take  up  your  cross  and  follow  him  ;  you  may  have  your 
choice  :  you  may  do  as  you  like  :  «  come,  for  all  things  are 
now  ready."  And  if  you  would  now  in  fact  make  this  choice, 
it  would  put  an  end  to  your  present  difficulties  about  your 
child.  Nothing,  therefore,  can  hinder  the  baptism  of  your 


404  THE    HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

child,  bat  your  continuing  to  reject  God  and  the  Redeemer, 
by  which  you  practically  renounce  your  own  baptism,  and 
forfeit  all  the  blessings  of  the  covenant. 

P.  Shocking  affair  !  my  child  unbaplised  !  none  to  blame 
but  its  own  parents !  what  shall  I  do  ? 

M.  Is  not  God  your  Creator  ?  are  you  not  his  by  an  ori- 
ginal, absolute,  entire  right  ?  is  he  not  infinitely  worthy  of 
your  supreme  love  ?  were  you  not  in  your  infancy  dedicated 
to  him  in  baptism  ?  and  have  you  turned  your  back  upon 
him  to  this  very  hour;  and  practically  renounced  your  bap- 
tism in  his  sight  ?  so  that,  dying  in  this  state,  your  baptism 
will  be  of  no  advantage  to  you  ;  you  will  perish  among  the 
uncircurncised,  among  the  unbaptised,  among  pagans;  as  it 
is  written,  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned,  and  except 
ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish!  and  do  you  now  in- 
quire, what  you  shall  do  ?  ah,  rny  dear  sir !  the  answer  is  plain. 
Repent  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out. 
And  thus  at  last  comply  with  the  import  of  your  baptism, 
and  become  a  disciple  of  Christ.  "  And  if  ye  are  Christ's, 
then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  pro- 
mise. But  unto  the  wicked,  God  saith,  what  hast  thou  to  do 
to  declare  my  statutes  ?  or  that  thou  shouldest  take  my  cove- 
nant in  thy  mouth  ?"  Psal.  1.  16.  Pray  accept  kindly  this 
advice  from  one  who  is  your  friend,  and  who  is  bound  by 
office  to  act  an  honest  part  with  the  souls  committed  to  his 
charge. 

P.  I  thank  you,  sir,  for  your  fidelity,  and  ask  your  prayers  t 
for  the  present,  adieu  ! 

M.  I  thank  you  for  your  kind  visit.  I  ask  the  favour  of 
another  hour,  when  you  are  at  leisure.  I  am  always  at  your 
service ;  and  might  I  be  a  means  of  your  salvation,  it  would 
give  me  joy,  while  I  live,  and  after  I  am  dead,  through  eter- 
nal ages.  I  only  add,  if  you  will  read  what  the  late  learned 
pious  President  Edwards  wrote  on  the  qualifications  for 
Christian  communion,  printed  at  Boston  ;  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Green's  pieces  on  the  same  subject,  printed  at  New-York ; 
you  may  in  them  see  the  truth  confirmed,  and  objections  an- 
swered more  largely.  And  if  after  all  you  should  desire  fur- 
ther conversation  on  this  subject,  I  will  be  ready  to  attend 


DIALOGUE   II.  405 

whenever  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to'  call  upon  me.  Only 
come  at  all  times,  as  you  have  at  this,  in  a  serious,  friendly, 
candid  spirit  ;  remembering  this  is  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing, solemn,  and  important  subjects.  Adieu,  ray  dear  sir. 


DIALOGUE  II. 

Without  holiness,  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.  PAUL. 

Whoso ever  shall  dent)  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny 
before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  JESUS  CHRIST. 

PARISHIONER.  REVEREND  SIR,  as  you  asked  the  fa- 
vour of  another  hour,  when  I  should  be  at  leisure,  I  am  nov* 
come  to  pay  you  a  second  visit,  to  let  you  know  my  senti- 
ments plainly,  and  hope  you  will  treat  me  with  all  the  calm- 
ness and  kindness  you  professed  before. 

MINISTER.  I  am  ready  to  hear  every  thing  you  have 
to  say. 

P.  I  freely  confess  you  made  me  say,  and  consent  to  every 
thing  you  chose  I  should  say  :  and  now  I  choose  to  turn  the 
tables.  And  if  you  will  be  as  condescending  to  me  as  I  was 
to  you,  I  doubt  not  but  1  shall  easily  gain  my  point. 

M.  1  mean  to  be  condescending. 

P.  You  intimate  there  is  no  text  of  Scripture  to  justify  the 
practice  of  those  having  children  baptised,  who  do  not  come 
to  the  Lord's  supper.  Allow  there  is  none,  it  does  not  in  the 
least  prove  the  point.  I  will  as  easily  be  a  proselyte  to  your 
opinion,  if  you  will  point  me  a  text  of  Scripture  which  saiih 
that  all  who  were  baptised,  or  had  their  children  baptised, 
came  to  the  Lord's  supper. 

M.  There  are  many  things  may  be  gathered  from  Revela- 
tion, which  are  not  expressed  in  terms. 

P.  Very  true  ;  and  1  think  equally  on  my  side  of  the  ques- 
tion as  on  yours.  1  remember  you  intimated  before,  that  it 
was  not  the  custom  any  where  at  the  first  settling  this  coun- 
try, to  baptise  the  children  of  any,  only  those  who  coiue  to 
the  Lord's  table  ;  and  thut  it  is  not  to  this  day  the  practice 


40(3  THE  HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 

of  the  cl  lurch  of  Scotland;  which  1  find  is  a  mistake,  as  I, 
am  informed,  upon  good  authority,  that  the  church  of  Scot- 
land ever  did,  and  do  to  this  day,  baptise  for  those  who  do  not 
come  to  the  table.  And  am  well  knowing  to  the  practice  of 
the  Presbyteries  in  this  country,  that  they  actually  do  baptise, 
for  those  who  do  not  come  to  the  table  of  the  Lord. 

M.  Allow  this  to  be  so,  it  does  not  prove  there  is  any  half- 
way covenant. 

P.  It  is  readily  allowed,  and  I  believe  generally,  if  not  uni- 
versally agreed,  that  there  is  no  half-way  covenant ;  Doctor 
Mftther  never  supposed  an  half-way  covenant.  And  I  freely 
allow  it  is  the  duty  of  all  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table, 
whom  the  church  will  accept.  But  to  oblige  persons  to  that 
which  we  cannot  convince  them  they  may  safely  do,  seems 
hard,  and  contrary,  to  that  Christian  spirit  which  the  Gospel 
urgeth.  Rom.  xv.  1.  We  then  that  are  strong,  ought  to  bear 
the  infirmities  of  the  weak.  Gal.  vi.  2.  Bear  ye  one  another's 
burdens. 

M.  The  Gospel  every  where  urgeth  condescension.  But 
persons  who  in  a  judgment  of  charity  are  pious,  are  obliged 
by  the  express  command  of  Christ.  Luke  xxii.  19.  This  do  in 
remembrance  of  me. 

P.  I  cannot  believe  the  command  of  Christ  obligeth  any 
of  his  followers  to  do  that  which  they  in  their  conscience-* 
dare  not  attempt,  under  their  then  present  circumstances.  I 
believe  it  is  their  duty  to  come,  but  I  believe  they  must  first 
get  their  scruples  removed  ;  and  I  believe  the  church  must 
allow  them  that  privilege,  which  if  they  will  not,  in  order  to 
be  consistent  wilh  themselves,  they  must  proceed  to  excom- 
munication ;  and  I  cannot  see  why  the  church  must  not  pro- 
ceed further,  and  excommunicate  all  baptised  persons  who 
neglect  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table;  for  they  are  all  visible 
members  of  the  church.  A  sad  consequence,  if  it  cannot  be 
prevented. 

M.  To  drive  the  point,  will  undoubtedly  make  sad  work  ;  but 
it  will  not  do  to  tell  persons  they  will  be  accepted  of  God,  if 
they  be  not  gracious  ;  neither  will  it  do  for  us  to  lead  them 
to  make  a  lying  profession  :  nothing  short  of  a  gracious  profes- 
sion will  give  a  person  a  right  to  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel. 


DIALOGUE  II.  407 

P.  Sir,  I  allow  what  you  say  in  part,  and  I  do  not  know 
that  any  one  pretends  to  the  contrary ;  all  are  agreed  in  it, 
that  no  person  ever  can  he  accepted  of  God,  and  be  finally 
happy,  short  of  real  holiness;  but  whoever  thought,  (unless  it 
be  some  wild  enthusiast,)  that  a  person  might  not  be  exhort- 
ed to  attempt  to  do  his  duty,  unless  he  could  do  it  perfectly? 
It  seems  the  sentiments  you  advance  amount  to  the  same  ab- 
surdity lately  taught  by  a  foreigner,  that  none  but  those  who 
are  gracious  are  to  be  urged  to  do  any  duty.  And  with  re- 
gard to  a  lying  profession,  it  seems  your  sentiments  lead  per- 
sons to  it.  For,  according  to  you,  those  who  make  profession 
of  real  piety,  have  a  right  to  the  ordinance  of  God  ;  and  those 
whom  the  church  receive  on  this  foot,  are  really  in  covenant. 
So  it  is  not  grace  which  gives  the  right,  but  a  profession  :  then 
if  that  profession  is  a  false  one,  and  the  person  who  makes  it 
is  an  hypocrite,  a  false  profession,  even  a  lie,  brings  a  person 
really  into  covenant  with  God,  and  gives  him  a  right  to  his 
ordinances.  If  I  understand  you,  there  cannot  be  any  pro- 
fession, only  a  lying  one,  unless  persons  are  gracious.  So  a 
lying  profession  does  bring  persons  visibly  into  covenant  with 
God,  or  none  are  visibly  in  covenant  with  God,  only  those 
who  are  gracious.  This  I  think  is  contrary  to  the  divine  de- 
claration, and  to  all  the  divine  conduct  towards  his  covenant 
people.  God  allowed  them  to  enter  into  covenant :  Ged  treat- 
ed them  as  being  in  covenant :  and  declared  they  were  in  co- 
venant, and  accordingly  had  compassion  on  them,  offered 
them  special  privilegesjand  glorious  means,  that  they  might  be 
trained  up  for  his  heavenly  kingdom. 

M.  There  seem  to  be  some  difficulties  which  1  had  not 
thought  of;  but  is  it  not  the  covenant  of  grace  which  is  to  be 
owned  ? 

P.  Doubtless  it  is  ;  no  one  dare  deny  it.  Neither  need  they 
be  led  to  give  their  assent  to  any  chapter  in  the  Apocrypha, 
No  one  disputes  its  being  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  but  by  at- 
tending upon  God's  ordinances,  they  mean  to  confirm  their, 
belief  of  the  truth  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  laying  themselves 
under  more  solemn  obligations  to  perform  every  duty. 

M.  I  think  it  my  duty  in  private,  as  well  as  in  public,  to 
explain  the  covenant,  and  to  see  to  it,  that  persons  under- 


408  ,      THE    HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

stand  ft  before  they  make  it,  and  to  instruct  them  what  a  wick- 
ed thing  it  is  to  lie  to  God. 

P.  Very  well,  Sir;  no  doubt  it  is  a  minister's  duty ;  and 
equally  upon  my  principles  as  on  yours.  I  thing  it  the  duty 
of  ministers  to  teach  and  instruct  persons,  and  show  them 
how  duty  is  to  be  performed  ;  but  not  teach  them  to  neglect 
duty,  if  they  cannot  do  it  in  a  perfect  manner.  Men  are  no 
where  in  the  bible  forbid  to  enter  into  covenant,  nor  to  be 
baptised,  nor  to  attend  the  Lord's  supper,  nor  to  do  any  other 
duty,  unless  under  some  special  circumstances ;  but  abund- 
antly required  to  do  in  a  right  manner  every  duty,  the  one 
as  well  as  the  other.  But  no  special  qualification  is  required 
of  men  to  attempt  to  do  duty,  more  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment than  under  ihe  Old.  All  (he  congregation  of  Israel 
were  required,  except  under  particular  uucleanness:  and  I 
cannot  find  any  thing  to  the  contrary  under  the  New  Testar 
ment.  The  Pharisees,  and  lawyers  were  blamed  for  reject- 
ing the  counsel  of  God,  they  not  being  baptised.  (Luke  vii. 
90.)  If  it  is  the  duty  of  all  to  be  baptised,  and  to  attend  the 
Lord's  supper,  then  it  is  the  duty  of  ministers  and  churches 
to  receive  all  those  who  visibly  are  qualified. 

M.  God  never  proposed  any  covenant  to  mankind,  but 
what  required  real  holiness  on  man's  part.  The  covenant 
of  grace  requires  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

P.  The  covenant  of  grace  requires  real  holiness,  on  mans 
part,  for  eternal  salvation.  Repentance  and  faith  are  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  salvation.  But  faith  and  repentaice  are 
not  absolutely  necessary  to  give  persons  a  right  to  attend  the 
means  of  grace  ;  for  those  who  have  not  true  faith,  are  called 
upon  to  attend  the  means  of  grace.  Though  the  objection 
may  be  made,  that  wicked  men's  prayers  are  abomination 
unto  God,  yet  it  is  their  duty  to  pray,  as  God  commands  all 
men.  The  Pharisees  were  blamed  for  praying  in  the  streets, 
that  they  might  have  glory  from  men.  But  they  were  not 
blamed  for  praying;  for  ungodly  men  are  blamed  for  not  pray- 
ing. Psaltn  xiv.  4.  Isai.  xliii.  2'2.  So  men  are  blamed  for 
leaving  off' praying  ;  (Job  xxvii.  10.)  hence  it  is  their  <iu!y  to 
pray  under  their  circumstances.  Real  holiness  is  required  on 


DIALOGUE    II.  409 

man's  part  for  salvation,  but  whether  real  holiness  is  required 
in  order  to  enter  into  covenant,  is  another  thing.  God  de- 
clares, (Lev.  xxvi.)  "  that  he  would  punish  Israel  because 
they  had  despised  his  judgments,  and  because  their  soul  ab- 
horred his  statutes,  (v.  44.)  and  yet  for  all  that,  when  they  b£ 
in  the  land  of  their  enemies,  I  will  not  cast  them  away,  nei- 
ther will  I  abhor  them  to  destroy  them  utterly,  and  to  break 
my  covenant  with  them,  for  I  am  the  Lord  their  God."  No\r 
I  do  not  see,  if  persons  may  not  enter  into  covenant  only  on 
the  plan  of  being  holy,  why  they  must  not  be  cast  out  on  the 
plan  of  their  being  unholy  ;  which  is  not  done,  as  declared 
above,  and  in  many  other  places.  But  God  does  really  allow 
unregenerate  men  to  be  in  covenant,  and  treats  them  as  be- 
ing in  covenant :  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  15.  and  the  Lord  God  of 
their  fathers  sent  them  his  messengers,  rising  up  by  times  and 
lending  them ;  because  he  had  compassion  on  his  people 
and  on  his  dwelling  place.  God  does  not  declare  the  cove- 
nant void,  but  rather,  he  will  keep  covenant  to  a  thousand 
generations.  If  men  were  not  in  covenant,  they  could  not 
be  cast  out.  But  they  really  are  in  covenant,  though  unre- 
generate. For  my  own  part,  I  freely  confess  I  cannot  find 
that  the  Scripture  represents  real  holiness  absolutely  necessa- 
ry, visibly  to  enter  into  covenant,  and  attend  God's  ordinan- 
ces. I  know  many  texts  are  mentioned,  2  Chron.  xv.  15.  is 
«ne ;  and  all  Judah  rejoiced  at  the  oath,  for  they  had  sworn 
with  all  their  hearts,  and  sought  him  with  their  whole  desire, 
and  he  was  found  of  them,  and  the  Lord  gave  them  rest 
round  about.  Who  can  once  suppose  that  this  was  done  in 
a  gracious  manner  by  all  the  thousands  of  Judah,  and  Ben- 
jamin, and  some  of  the  other  tribes  ?  let  us  hear  the  covenant, 
and  the  truth  will  appear,  ver.  12,  IS.  and  they  entered  into 
a  covenant  to  seek  the  'Lord  God  of  their  fathers,  with  all 
their  heart,  and  with  all  their  soul — That  whosoever  would 
not  seek  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  should  be  put  to  death,  whe- 
ther small  or  great,  whether  man  or  woman.  Israel  were  fall- 
en into  idolatry,  and  Asa  was  reforming  them.  And  they 
were  required  really  to  turn  from  the  service  of  idols  to  the  ser- 
tice  of  the  living  God,  and  this  is  what  is  required  in  the  ex- 
ternal covenant,  viz.  to  break  off  from  sin,  and  turn  to  God. 
VOL.  in.  $2 


410  THE    HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

Another  text  is  that,  Acts  viii.  37.  ifthou  bclievcst  with  all 
thin*  heart  thou  maycst,  by  which  from  the  context  there 
cannot  be  any  more  consistently  understood  than  his  belief, 
Jesus  was  the  Christ  the  prophet  had  foretold,  and  that  bap- 
tism was  the  way  in  which  we  are  now  to  be  visibly  introduc- 
ed into  covenant  with  God.  If  the  eunuch  was  a  good  man, 
it  does  not  appear  that  Philip  acted  upon  the  plan  to  re- 
ceive only  good  men,  or  that  he  could  act  upon  the  plan. 
Having  no  rule  to  determine  by,  we  infer  that  what  Philip 
acted  upon,  xvas  the  eunuch's  giving  his  full  assent  that  Je- 
sus was  the  Christ. 

M.  We  do  not  mean  to  act  upon  the  plan  of  knowing 
whether  men  are  gracious  or  not. 

P.  I  cannot  say  what  you  mean  ;  but  what  you  say  seems 
to  imply  it;  if  you  mean  they  should  make  no  higher  profes- 
sion than  we  do,  why  do  you  tell  them,  they  have  no  right 
unless  they  are  gracious?  We  require  persons  to  make  pro- 
fession of  their  belief  of  the  Christian  religion,  their  assent  to 
the  glorious  doctrines,  acknowledging  their  obligations,  de- 
termining to  be  faithful  according  to  them.  Upon  which 
profession  you  will  receive  them,  if  they  will  tell  you  they  be- 
lieve they  are  gracious.  I  cannot  find  any  such  rule  ;  I  wish 
they  were  all  gracious,  and  that  we  had  good  evidence  to  be- 
lieve they  were. 

M.  Is  baptism,  administered  without  a  divine  warrant,  alike- 
ly  means  to  do  a  child  any  good  ? 

P.  No,  Sir;  nor  with  neither,  only  as  it  brings  a  child  visi- 
bly into  covenant  with  God,  and  so  puts  it  into  the  way  of 
covenant  mercies  :  unless  you  hold  it  to  be  regeneration. 

M.  But  you  remember  the  commission  ? 

P.  Yes,  Sir ;  but  I  think  you  have  not  rightly  represented  it. 
The  commission  at  large  is,  Mat.  xxtfii.  19-  "  Go  ye  there- 
fore and  teach  all  nations,  baptising  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  ®f  the  Holy  Ghost."  Thus  un- 
limited was  their  commission  to  teach  and  baptise.  That  in 
the  iGth.  of  Mark,  doubtless  means  the  same  thing.  Minis- 
ters are  to  instruct  persons  in  the  Christian  religion  and  to 
baptise  them.  But  you  do  not  consider  baptism  as  included 
in  the  commission,  Go  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature. 


DIALOGUE    II.  411 

You  say,  thus  unlimited  is  the  commission  te  preach  the  Gos- 
pel. And  he  that  belivelh  and  is  baptised  shall  be  sated- 
You  say,  the  faith  which  entitles  to  baptism,  is  a  saving  faith. 
It  is  quite  beyond  me  how  you  get  this  consequence.  I  ima- 
gine you  may  as  easily  get  another,  viz.  That  baptism  is  sav- 
ing. ]fe  that  belieTtth,  and  is  baptised,  shall  be  saved.  It  is 
here  declared  that  true  faith  is  absolutely  necessary  for  salva- 
tion, but  baptism  is  not.  Persons  who  are  never  baptised  may 
be  saved.  The  faith  here,  that  Christ  speaks  of,  is  not  that 
merely  which  entitles  to  baptism,  but  that  which  entitles  to 
eternal  life,  which  is  clear  by  the  opposite.  He  that  believeth 
and  is  baptised,  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  belitveth  not  shall 
be  damned.  The  text  does  not  say,  He  that  believeth  not,  and 
is  not  baptised,  shalltbe  damned ;  but  he  that  belitveth  not,  shall 
be  damned.  '<•••'*•'  * 

M.  You  remember  when  the  king  came  in  to  see  the  guests, 
h«w  he  treated  the  man  who  had  not  on  a  wedding  gar- 
ment ? 

P.  Yes,  sir ;  and  readily  allow  that  God  will  act  as  the 
searcher  of  hearts,  at  the  great  day  of  judgment,  and  will 
punish  every  one  who  is  not  found  having  on  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ. 

M.  Do  look  through  the  country,  and  observe  the  conduct 
of  those  in  the  present  practice  of  owning  the  covenant,  and 
getting  their  children  baptised  4  are  they  brought  up  for  God  ? 
the  youth  learn  to  dress,  to  sing,  and  dance,  but  do  their  pa- 
rents appear  to  understand  that  they  have  devoted  them  to  God? 

P.  Verily,  sad  and  awful  is  the  case,  dreadful  the  neg- 
lect, and  parents  will  have  an  awful  account  to  give.  But, 
pray,  sir,  can  you  give  me  any  better  account,  where  churchc* 
have  practised  on  the  other  plan?  Hath  it  appeared  that  pa- 
rents have  been  more  faithful  to  bring  up  their  children  for 
God  ?  And  hath  ii  had  any  better  effect ;  if  it  hath,  it  is  an  ar- 
gument in  your  favour  ;  if  not,  the  contrary  ;  it  must  bean  ar- 
gument against  you.  Instance  the  parishes,  we  may  appeal 
to  all  who  have  been  acquainted,  whether  parents  have  not 
apparently  taken,  at  least  us  great  pains  to  instruct  and  edu- 
cate their  children  ;  and  that  as  many  at  least  have  beeu 
trained  up  for  God,  under  the  former  practice  as  under 


4)8  THE    HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

the  present.  What  great  benefit  then  upon  your  plan? 
Surely  none.  But  suffer  me  to  mention  one  disadvantage  ;  the 
'peace  of  the  church  is  greatly  disturbed  :  which  seems  to  be 
the  chief  effect  of  warm  controversies  :  therefore  I  wish  you 
gentlemen  ministers  would  treat  the  subject  calmly,  if  you 
cannot  be  persuaded  to  neglect  the  controversy.  For  I  trem- 
ble to  think  of  the  awful  consequences,  and  pray  God  to  pre- 
vent them,  by  leading  his  churches  into  the  way  of  all  truth. 
J  confess  my  difficulties  are  rather  increased  than  diminished, 
and  must  think  the  present  practice,  well  attended  to,  will  be 
most  for  the  general  good.  I  know  some  difficulties  may  be 
proposed  in  either  practice:  but  1  think  contention  is  best  to 
be  left  off  before  it  be  meddled  with,  and  hope  you  will  join 
issue  with  me  to  drop  the  affair,  as  1  have  no  design  of  engag- 
ing in  the  controversy.  In  the  mean  time  I  earnestly  wish  to 
see  men  truly  concerned  about  the  great  things  of  another 
world,  to  see  ministers  and  churches  joining  harmoniously, 
to  spread  far  and  wide  the  honours  of  the  Lamb  that  was  slain, 
but  is  alive  for  evermore,  that  God  may  be  glorified,  the 
churches  have  peace,  and  be  edified.  Adieu,  dear  Sir. 

A  PARISHIONER. 


POSTSCRIPT. 

P.  SIR,  if  I  mistake  not,  you  represent  it  to  be  a  new 
thing  to  allow  baptism  to  the  children  of  any  but  those  whose 
parents,  one  or  both,  were  in  full  communion,  brought  in 
forty  years  after  the  first  church  was  formed,  by  the  synod 
met  at  Boston  in  the  year  1662.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Increase  Ma- 
ther gives  us  a  very  different  account  in  the  book  you  quoted. 
He  mentions  the  opinion  of  many  of  the  most  pious  and  god- 
ly ministers  who  came  over  into  this  country  at  the  first  set- 
tling of  New-England.  Mr.  Cotton,  Mr.  Hooker,  and  Mr. 
Stone,  who  came  in  the  same  vessel  in  the  year  1633,  all 
freely  give  their  opinion,  that  children,  whose  parents  are  bap- 
tised, have  a  right  to  baptism,  who  are  in  covenant  until  they 


DIALOGUE  III.  415 

are  cast  out.  Mr.  Cotton,  minister  of  the  first  church  in 
Boston,  says,  in  a  letter  dated  in  the  year  1634,  (which  was 
before  1662.)  we  may  not  account  such  parents  for  Pagans  and 
Infidels,  who  are  themselves  baptised,  and  profess  their  belief 
of  the  fundamental  articles  of  the  Christian  faith,  and  live 
without  notorious  scandalous  crimes,  though  they  give  not 
clear  evidence  of  their  regenerate  state.  In  the  year  1(535, 
came  over,  Mather,  Norton,  and  Shepherd.  Three  extraor- 
dinary men ;  each  give  their  opinion  in  the  affirmative.  In  the 
year  1636,  came  Patrick  and  Rogers,  Mr.  Smith  of  Weathers- 
iield,  Mr  Prudden  of  Milfbrd,  and  many  others,  all  in  the 
affirmative.  So  the  congregationalists  at  home,  Dr.  Owen, 
Dr.  Holmes,  and  others.  From  which  it  appears,  that  it  was 
no  new  thing  for  persons  in  covenant  to  have  their  children 
baptised,  if  they  did  not  come  to  the  table.  And  I  think 
many  of  their  arguments  unanswerable.  P. 


DIALOUGE  III. 

PARISHIONER.  SIR,  this  third  visit  I  am  come  to  make 
you,  for  I  have  lately  read  a  piece  printed  at  New-London, 
entitled,  "  A  Dialogue  between  a  minister  and  his  parishion- 
er, concerning  the  half-way  covenant,  continued  ;"  said  to  be 
written  by  one  of  the  most  learned  and  ingenious  ministers  in 
the  colony.  I  hope  therefore,  now  if  ever,  by  the  assistance 
of  such  a  patron,  to  be  able  to  carry  my  point.  Instructed 
by  him,  I  give  up  the  half-way  covenant ;  I  grant  there  is 
but  one  covenant.  I  give  up  the  half-way  practice  too,  as 
founded  only  in  ignorance,  and  the  mistaken  notions  of  the 
vulgar.  1  am  convinced,  that  he  that  is  qualified  to  have 
his  children  baptised,  is  equally  qualified  to  come  to  the 
Lord's  table.  I  come  therefore  to  claim  baptism  for  my 
child,  and  a  place  at  the  Lord's  table  for  myself,  as  my  pro- 
per right,  p.  6.  However,  I  am  not  well  pleased  at  the  pub- 
lication of  our  discourse  in  my  first  visit,  although  I  must  con- 
fess you  have  given  a  fair  representation  of  what  passed,  be- 
cause being  very  dull  at  that  time,  I  make  but  a  veryjndirTer- 
ent  figure  in  the  eyes  of  the  public,  p.  G. 


414  THE  HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

MINISTER.  Be  comforted,  my  friend  ;  no  blame  is  laid 
on  you  by  the  public.  I  bear  it  all ;  and  I  am  willing  to 
bear  it  for  your  good  :  and  methinks  you  have  only  cause  of 
joy  and  thankfulness;  for  to  be  convinced  so  soon  of  your 
mistake,  is  no  small  favour.  No  doubt  the  voice  of  the  cler- 
gy, who  practise  the  half-way,  declaring  as  one  man,  that 
he  who  is  qualified  to  offer  his  child  to  baptism,  is  equally 
qualified  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table,  has  wrought  your  con- 
viction ;  for  your  former  faith  and  practice  were  grounded 
merely  on  the  custom  of  the  country:  this  led  you  to  think 
that  the  Lord's  supper  was  more  holy  than  baptism.  But  while 
you  hear  all  the  ministers,  with  whom -you  converse,  declare 
they  mean  no  such  thing ;  they  practise  the  half-way  only 
in  condescension  to  the  ignorance,  and  groundless  unscriptu- 
ral  scruples  of  the  common  people ;  you  are  convinced  ;  you 
give  up  the  point;  you  own  the  command  of  Christ,  do  this 
in  remembrance  of  me,  is  binding  on  all  his  disciples:  but, 
pray,  upon  what  grounds,  do  you  now  so  boldly  claim  bap- 
tism for  your  child  ? 

P.  Although  I  was  "  uncommonly  dull  and  muddy/'  in 
my  first  visit ;  yet,  "  you  know,  sir,  what  I  wanted  was  to  have 
my  child  baptised.  As  jou  told  me  there  was  but  one  cove- 
nant, so  we  were  agreed  that  I  had  entered  into  that  cove- 
nant, the  very  same  covenant  that  you  entered  into  three  and 
thirty  years  ago,  when  you  was  admitted  into  the  church, 
And,  sir,  why  may  1  not  have  the  seal  of  it  set  upon  my 
child?"  p.  4. 

M.  Did  not  I  expressly  tell  you,  that  "  If  the  covenant 
owned  is  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  if  the  parent  acts  under- 
standingly  and  honestly  in  the  affair,  he  is  a  good  man;  he 
has  a  right  before  God  to  baptism  for  his  children,  and  an 
equal  right  to  the  Lord's  supper  ?  But  that  if  the  covenant 
owned  is  not  the  covenant  of  grace,  those  who  have  owned  it, 
have  in  the  sight  of  God  no  right  to  either  of  those  ordinances, 
which  are  seals  of  that  covenant,  and  of  no  other :  no  more 
right  than  if  they  had  given  their  assent  tq  any  chapter  in 
the  Apocrypha  ?' 

P.  True,  you  did  so  ;  and  there  is  but  one  covenant,  says 
my  patron. 


DIALOGUE    III.  41J 

M.  This  covenant  then  is  the  covenant  of  grace,  which, 
we  are  all  agreed,  requires  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith 
toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  or  else  there  is  no  covenant 
of  grace  at  all ;  for  he  says  there  is  but  one.  But  lay  your 
hand  upon  your  heart,  and  tell  me  the  truth  honestly,  did  you 
mean  to  profess  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  toward  our 
.Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  you  owned  the  covenant  ?  or  in 
other  words,  did  you  mean  to  profess  a  compliance  with 
the  covenant  of  grace  ?  Pray,  sir,  recollect  and  repeat  the 
very  words  you  spake  to  me  in  your  first  visit. 

P.  You  make  me  blush  ;  for  I  told  you  the  truth  in  my 
first  visit,  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart ;  and  this  is  what  i 
said  :  I  "  knew  myself  to  be  unconverted  ;  I  meant  to  own 
the  covenant,  as  the  phrase  is,  and  have  my  children  bap- 
tised ;  but  I  had  no  design  to  profess  godliness,  or  to  pretend 
a  real  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace.  This  godly 
people  may  do,  but  it  had  been  great  hypocrisy  in  me  to  do 
it.  To  lie  to  men  is  bad,  but  to  lie  to  God  is  worse.  I  sup- 
posed that  owning  the  covenant  was  what  the  unconverted 
might  do."  These  were  my  very  words  :  and  on  these  prin- 
ciples I  acted,  as  do  all  others  that  I  am  acquainted  with, 
who  own  the  covenant,  have  their  children  baptised,  and  do 
not  come  to  the  Lord's  table  ;  and  I  verily  thought  this  was 
right  before  my  first  visit. 

M.  How  is  it  possible  a  man  so  bonest  as  you  then  ap- 
peared to  be,  should  now  act  such  a  dishonest  part,  as  you 
have  done?  It  is  my  duty,  as  a  minister  of  Christ,  to  rebuke 
you  sharply  ;  for  then  you  told  me,  as  you  now  own,  that  you 
did  not  mean  to  profess  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of 
grace,  upon  which  I  denied  baptism  to  your  child  ;  and  yet 
just  now  you  pretended  you  did  mean  to  do  it.  You  have 
need  to  blush  ;  this  deliberate  dissimulation  in  such  an  affair, 
is  no  small  crime.  Did  your  learned  patron  advise  you  to 
this  step,  to  get  your  child  baptised  ?  Is  this  the  way  to  obtain 
God's  blessing  ? 

P.  Be  tbis  as  it  may,  I  am  willing  now  to  make  a  profession, 
and  publicly  to  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  and  I  have  no 
objection  against  the  form  used  in  your  church.  I  can  make 


416  THE  HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 

that  covenant,  and  speak  truly  in  the  sight  of  God,  notwith- 
standing I  know  I  have  no  grace,  p.  6,  7- 

M.  How  can  a  man  who  knows  he  has  no  grace,  profess  a 
compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  without  wilful  lying  ? 

P.  I  do  not  mean  to  make  a  profession  that  shall  imply 
conversion.  There  would  be  '  special  hypocrisy'  in  doing 
so.  p.  14. 

M.  What  then  ?  do  you  suppose  the  unconverted  do  com- 
ply with  the  covenant  of  grace  ?  That  the  unconverted  have 
repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  ?  That  the  unconverted  choose  the  Lord  Jehovah  for 
their  sovereign  Lord,  and  supreme  good  through  Jesus  Christ, 
and  give  up  themselves  to  his  service,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways, 
seeking  his  glory  ? 

P.  No,  sir,  by  no  means.  But  "  if  it  be  true  that  the 
Lord  Jehovah  is  my  sovereign  Lord  and  supreme  good  through 
Jesus  Christ,  i.  e.  if  it  be  true,  that  he  who  through  Christ 
is  the  author  of  being,  and  of  every  mercy  to  all  the  living, 
is  the  sovereign  Lord  and  supreme  good  of  every  living  soui, 
it  is  no  harm  to  avouch  it."  I  mean  to  give  my  assent  to 
ihis  truth,  and  no  more. 

M.  Doth  not  the  devil  believe  the  truth  of  this  proposition 
as  firmly  as  any  wicked  man  does?  and  is  he  in  covenant? 
You  have  need  to  be  better  instructed  about  the  nature  of  en- 
tering into  covenant  with  God,  before  you  can  be  considered 
as  qualified  in  point  of  doctrinal  knowledge. 

P.  No,  sir,  I  am  not  so  ignorant,  neither.  I  know  in  what 
sense  you  mean  to  understand  your  covenant.  But  knowing 
myself  to  be  unconverted,  I  cannot  profess  a  compliance  with 
the  covenant  of  grace  in  that  sense.  I  cannot  profess  su- 
preme love  to  God,  and  that  I  do  actually  take  him  as  rny 
God,  my  chief  good,  through  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  not  in 
my  heart.  Therefore  I  mean  to  adopt  the  words  of  the  cove- 
nant in  a  different  sense;*even  in  the  sense  in  which  an  uncon- 
verted man  who  is  at  enmity  against  God  may  use  them,  and 
yet  speak  true.  *1«V' 

M.  But  this  is  not  to  profess  a  compliance  with  the  co- 
venant of  grace.  And  therefore  should  you  make  it,  it  could 
give  you  no  right  to  sealing  ordinapues  for  yourself  or  your 


DIALOGUE    111.  417 

child.  Rather  is  it  gross  and  scandalous  dissimulation,  very 
much  like  what  is  practised  by  Arians  and  Socinians  among 
the  clergy  of  the  church  of  England,  when  they  subscribe  the 
thirty-nine  articles,  in  order  to  qualify  themselves  for  a  bene- 
fice upon  the  establishment;  which  practice  is  condemned 
by  all  honest  men. 

P.  Be  this  as  it  may,  I  can  at  least  with  moral  sincerity 
promise,  "  to  walk  in  all  his  ways  and  keep  all  his  com- 
mands, seeking  his  glory."  p.  7. 

M.  The  obedience  engaged  by  one  who  professes  a  com- 
pliance with  the  covenant  of  grace,  is  that  kind  of  obedience 
which  the  covenant  requires,  viz.  an  holy  obedience,  an 
•bedience  which  proceeds  from  faith  and  love.  And  do  you 
mean  to  engage  this  ? 

P.  No,  by  no  means.  1  only  mean  to  engage  what  an 
unconverted  man  may  do,  while  such.  p.  7  a. 

M.  But  this  unholy  obedience  is  not  that  kind  of  obedi- 
ence which  the  covenant  of  grace  requires  at  your  hands. 
So  that  you  mean  to  profess  neither  to  comply  with  the  co- 
venant of  grace  at  present,  nor  to  live  such  a  holy  life  as  it 

a  Other  writers  maintain,  that  such  as  know  themselves  to  be  unconverted, 
when  they  join  in  full  communion  with  the  church,  are  to  engage  that  Tery  kind 
of  obedience  required  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  from  that  time  and  forward  till 
they  die.  They  are  not  to  profess  that  they  have  a»  yet  loved  God,  believed 
in  Christ,  repented  of  their  sins,  or  lived  holy  lives ;  but  they  are  to  engage  that 
they  will  do  all  this  as  soon  as  ever  they  have  joined  with  the  church,  and  from 
that  time  forward  till  they  die.  This  is  Mr.  Beckwith's  scheme,  answer  to  Mr. 
Green,  p.  26.  If  these  professors  are  s«-  near  being  converted  in  their  own  judg- 
ments, really  and  honestly,  that  they  do  expect  to  be  actually  converted  as  soon 
M  they  hate  joined  with  the  church,  it  is  a  pity  they  do  not  put  off  their  publie 
profession  till  the  next  sabbath  ;  and  so  be  converted  first :  and  then  they  might 
make  a  full  profession  of  a  present  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  so 
the  whole  controversy  might  be  ended.  This  is  always  the  way  that  honest  peo- 
ple take  when  they  enter  into  the  marriage  covenant,  to  which  this  writer  com- 
pares this  transaction.  They  do  not  come  and  present  themselves  before  the 
priest  to  enter  into  the  marriage  covenant,  till  they  begin  to  love  each  other. 
And  now  they  ean  with  a  good  conscience  give  their  consent  to  the  whole  mar- 
rige  covenant,  as  being  conscious  to  themselves  that  they  already  have  such  an 
heart  in  them.  But  should  a  pair  offer  to  be  married,  who  had,  through  their 
whole  courtship,  and  to  that  moment,  been  at  enmity  against  each  other,  as  much 
as  Paul  declares  every  carnal  mind  to  be  against  God,  (Rom.  viii.  7.)  it  wotfld 
be  looked  upon  as  a  hypocritical,  mad,  and  stupid  piece  of  conduct, 

VOL.  in.  £S 


418  THE    HALF-WAY     COVENANT. 

requires  for  the  future.  In  short,  you  mean  to  use  the  words 
of  a  saint  with  the  heart  of  a  hypocrite ;  and  so  to  come  into 
Christ's  visible  church  with  the  language  of  a  friend,  but 
with  the  heart  of  an  enemy.  Your  proposed  conduct  may 
serve  to  give  a  very  true  and  just  exposition  to  those  words  of 
our  Saviour,  Friend,  hoz&  earnest  thou  in  hither  not  having  a 
wedding  garment  ?  As  if  he  had  said,  "  I  call  you  friend, 
because  you,  in  words,  make  the  same  profession  which  my 
real  friends  do.  But  why  do  you  do  this,  when  at  the  same 
time  you  have  the  heart  of  an  enemy  ?  why  do  you  act  this 
hypocritical  part  ?  Such  dissimulation  is  special  hypocrisy." 
If  you  could  not  comply  with  our  covenant  in  its  plain  sense, 
and  in  the  sense  you  knew  we  understood  it,  why  did  not  you 
rather  come  like  an  honest  man,  and  say  so,  and  desire  to 
have  it  laid  aside  ;  and  a  new  covenant,  an  ungracious  cove- 
nant, introduced  in  its  room  ;  a  covenant  which  you  could 
make,  and  act  an  honest  part  ? 

P.  I  thought  there  was  but  one  covenant.  I  supposed  the 
covenant  you  use  in  your  church,  as  you  understand  it,  was 
that  one  covenant.  I  thought  that  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper  were  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  of  no  other. 
And  so  1  must  profess  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of 
grace,  or  I  cannot  be  received  among  Christ's  disciples,  or 
claim  the  privileges  of  such.  Therefore  I  put  this  new  sense 
on  the  words,  that  I  might  consent  to  them  with  a  good  con- 
science. 

M.  But  the  words,  in  this  new  sense,  are  not  the  covenant 
of  grace,  but  an  ungracious  covenant ;  in  sense  and  meaning 
exactly  like  the  half-way  covenant,  in  use  in  some  churches, 
•where  they  have  two  covenants,  (a  number  of  such  churches 
I  could  name  to  you,)  so  while  you  cry  out  against  the  name 
of  a  half-covenant,  you  take  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  turn 
it  into  the  very  thing,  in  order  to  bring  it  down  to  a  level  with 
your  graceless  heart ;  and  then"  put  on  a  bold  face,  and  come 
and  claim  the  privileges  peculiar  to  those  who  profess  a  com- 
pliance with  the  covenant  of  grace  itself. 

P.  Sir,"  I  am  persuaded  God  has  made  the  Lord's  supper  a 
converting  ordinance  to  many,  and  he  may  make  it  so  to  me." 
p.  9. 


DIALOGUE  III. 

M.  And,  O  my  friend,  will  you  dissemble  in  this  shocking 
manner,  in  order  to  get  into  the  church,  that  you  may  come 
to  the  Lord's  table,  and  be  converted  !  Is  this  what  you  mean 
by  moraf  sincerity?  I  tell  you  with  that  plainness  that  be- 
comes my  office,  that  to  come  thus,  i»  not  the  way  for  a  bles- 
sing, but  tor  a  curse.  For  he  that  eateth  and  drinkcth  un- 
worthily, instead  of  being  in  the  way  of  a  blessing,  exposes 
himself  to  the  righteous  judgment  of  God;  agreeable  to  the 
apostle's  words  to  the  Corinthians. 

P.  Nay,  sir,  the  Corinthians  "  turned  the  Lord's  supper 
into  a  feast  of  Bacchus."  And  what  is  this  to  me  ?  p.  14. 

M.  Is  not  deliberate,  designed  dissimulation,  in  the 
most  solemn,  religions  transaction  on  earth,  even  in  cove- 
nanting with  the  great  God,  as  bad  as  drunkenness? 

P.  Nay,  sir,  but  I  am  expressly  commanded  to  come  to 
the  Lord's  supper,  by  Christ  himself,  p.  15. 

M.  This  command  was  given  to  none  but  Christ's  disci- 
ples. And  in  the  apostolic  age  none  ever  pretended  to  at- 
tend the  Lord's  supper,  but  those  who  h;«d  made  a  profession, 
and  were  admitted  into  the  Christian  church.  As  yet  you 
have  not  made  a  profession,  to  be  sure,  not  such  a  profession 
as  God  ever  required  ;  nor  is  the  profession  you  now  propose 
to  make,  a  profession  of  a  compliance  with  God's  covenant, 
even  with  the  covenant  of  grace. 

P.  "  I  am  able  to  demonstrate,  as  clearly  as  any  theorem 
is  demonstrated  in  Euclid,  that  if  an  unconverted  man  may 
not  avouch  the  Lord  for  his  God,  nor  resolve  to  obey  him, 
lie  may  not  say,  Our  father  which  art  in  heaven  ;  forgive  us 
•«r  debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors."  p.  8.  And  it  is  damna- 
ble heresy  to  teach  that  the  unconverted  ought  not  to  pray, 
p.  9.  And  if  they  sin  in  praying,  yet  it  is  less  sin  to  pray 
than  not  to  pray.  p.  12. 

M.  It  is  a  greater  sin  to  lie  than  to  do  nothing.  Lying  is 
not  a  means  of  grace.  Lying  is  not  an  appointed  means  of 
conversion.  There  are  many  things  unconverted  sinners 
may  say  to  God,  and  speak  true.  To  speak  the  truth  to  God 
is  well :  Jam.  ii.  19-  but  to  say  that  which  they  know  is  not 
true,  is  a  thousand  times  worse  than  to  say  nothing.  Mat. 
xxiii.  14.  Acts  v.  3.  And  for  a  man  who  is  sensible  that  it 


420  THE  HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

is  not  in  his  heart  to  forgive  those  who  have  trespassed 
against  him,  and  that  in  fact  he  does  not  forgive  them,  to 
come  into  the  presence  of  God,  and  pray,  saying,  Forgive  us 
our  debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors,  is  implicitly  to  ask  God 
not  to  forgive  him ;  but  this  is  a  greater  sin  than  not  to  pray 
at  all,  as  all  will  allow ;  and  it  will  hold  true,  as  true  as  any 
"  theorem  in  Euclid,"  that  lying  is  worse  than  nothing,  in 
praying,  in  covenanting,  and  in  every  thing  else. 

P.  Sir,  on  your  plan  three  quarters  of  the  Christian  world 
will  be  shut  out  of  the  church,  p.  J4. 

M.  Were  it  not  better,  were  it  not  more  for  the  honour  of 
Christ  and  Christianity,  in  the  sight  of  Pagans,  Jews,  and 
Mahometans,  and  in  the  sight  of  the  ungodly  in  Christian 
countries,  and  more  for  the  good  of  their  own  souls,  that 
nine  tenths  should  be  shut  out  of  the  church,  if  need  so  re- 
quire, than  to  come  in  by  wilful  lying  !  But  for  a  man  to 
profess  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  when  he 
knows  he  has  no  grace,  is  no  better;  and  yet  without  such 
a  profession  no  man  can  visibly  enter  into  covenant  with  God. 
For  God  has  no  other  covenant  extant,  of  which  baptism  and 
the  Lord's  supper  are  seals  ;  for  there  is  but  one  covenant, 
as  you  allow ;  and  to  use  the  words  of  this  covenant  in  such 
a  sense  as  to  make  it  a  graceless  half-covenant,  gives  no 
more  right  to  sealing  ordinances,  than  to  repeat  any  chapter 
in  the  Apocrypha. 

P.  If  your  scheme  "  should  prevail,  it  would  bring  back 
the  country  into  the  ancient  state  of  heathenism  b." 

M.  And  pray,  sir,  who  do  you  think  will  have  the  hottest 
hell,  a  heathen  who  dares  not  lie,  or  a  Christian  who  allows 
hiniself  to  lie  in  the  most  solemn  religious  transactions  ?  or 
which  will  be  the  likeliest  to  be  converted  by  the  preaching*of 
the  Gospel  ? 

P.  "  When  men  of  sense  and  conscience  find  themselves 
denied  the  enjoyment  of  ordinances  for  themselves  and  chil- 
dren in  our  churches/'  they  will  turn  to  the  church  of  Eng- 
land b. 

M.  No  man  of  sense  or  conscience  will  desire  to  make  a 
lying  profession  to  get  his  children  baptised  ;  he  would  ra- 

b  Sir.  Beckwith. 


DIALOGUE    III.  421 

ther  they  never  should  be  baptised  than  do  such  a  wicked 
deed.  And  we  stand  ready  to  baptise  the  children  of  all, 
who  can,  understandingly  and  honestly,  make  that  profession, 
which  God  requires. 

P.  ''Christ's  visible  kingdom  requires  in  its  members  qua- 
lifications like  itself,  viz.  those  that  are  visible  and  know- 
able."  p.  16. 

M.  And  we,  in  receiving  them,  act  entirely  on  what  is  visi- 
ble, viz.  on  their  public  profession,  attended  with  an  an- 
swerable conversation,  just  as  they  did  in  the  apostolic  age. 

P.  "  Every  baptised  person  is  a  member  of  Christ's  visible 
church  :  but  I  was  baptised  in  my  infancy,  therefore  I  have  a 
right  to  all  the  exernal  privileges  of  a  church-member."  p.  16. 

M.  You  remember  the  answer  I  gave  to  this  at  your  se- 
cond visit,  viz.  "  Baptism  alone,  in  the  apostolic  age,  never 
made  any  adult  person  a  church-member  without  a  profes- 
sion ;  profession  was  fir«t  made,  and  then  they  were  baptised. 
Those  therefore  that  are  baptised  in  infancy,  in  order  to  be 
members  in  this  sense,  must  make  a  profession  when  they  be- 
come adult.  The  New-England  churches,  therefore,  are 
right  in  demanding  it.'' 

P.  You  must  then  have  a  half-covenant  for  these  half-mem- 
bers. 

M.  No,  by  no  means.  They  are  bound  by  their  parents' 
act  and  deed  to  comply  with  the  covenant  of  grace  itself,  as 
soon  as  they  become  adult.  With  this  covenant,  and  with 
this  alone,  do  we  urge  them  to  comply.  Whenever  they  ap- 
pear to  do  it,  we  receive  them  to  full  communion.  But  if  they 
openly  renounce  the  God  of  their  fathers,  and  obstinately  per- 
sist in  it,  they  must  be  considered  and  treated  as  persons  who 
have  visibly  renounced  their  baptism,  in  which  their  parents 
devoted  them  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  for  ever  his. 

P.  "  It  is  certain  that  the  Gospel  contains  no  rule  whereby 
to  determine  with  any  certainty  that  a  man  is  gracious."  And 
therefore  your  scheme  cannot  be  acted  upon.  p.  9,  10. 

M.  It  is  equally  certain  the  Gospel  contains  no  rule  to  de- 
termine with  certainty  that  men  ar«  orthodox,  or  sound  in  the 
faith.  They  may  make  an  orthodox  profession,  but  we  can- 
mot  be  certain  that  they  mean  as  they  say.  To  be  sure,  if  they 


422  THE  HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 

allow  themselves  to  use  orthodox  words  in  a  heterodox  sense, 
as  you  do  in  the  business  of  covenanting  ;  and  the  truth  is,  let 
the  qualifications  be  what  you  please,  it  is  not  necessary  the 
church  should  have  a  certainty  that  the  candidates  for  admis- 
sion to  sealing  ordinances,  have  them  really  and  in  the  sight 
of  God.  It  is  sufficient,  on  every  scheme,  that  they  appear 
to  have  them,  to  a  judgment  of  charity,  regulated  by  the  word 
of  God. 

P.  Such  inconsistency  may  by  no  means  be  charged  on  the 
Deity,  as  to  institute  an  ordinance  with  a  design  that  never 
can  be  carried  into  execution  ;  as  is  the  case,  if  Christ  has  not 
given  some  infallible  criterion,  or  mark,  whereby  to  know  who 
may  be  admitted,  p.  9,  10. 

M.  Very  well,  sir,  be  pleased  to  take  the  inconsistence  to 
yourself,  until  you  can  be  infallibly  certain,  that  the  candi- 
date for  admission  is  really  orthodox  and  morally  sincere  in 
ihe  sight  of  God,  as  searcher  of  hearts.  And  in  order  to  this, 
you  will  need  the  aid  of  that  enthusiastical  sort  of  people  of 
whom  your  minister  speaks;  (p.  10.)  for  it  cannot  be  known, 
without  an  immediate  revelation.  You  must  get  their  spirit 
to  come  and  tell  you,  whether  men  are  as  orthodox  and  mo- 
rally sincere  in  the  sight  of  God,  as  they  profess  to  be  before 
men.  For  there  is  no  infallible  mark  whereby  you  can  cer- 
tainly know  it.  An  immediate  revelation  is  absolutely  ne- 
cessary for  this,  "  as  I  am  able  to  demonstrate  as  clearly  as 
any  theorem  is  demonstrated  in  Euclid." 

P.  Be  this  as  it  may  ;  whether  the  church  must  be  certain 
or  not ;  yet  we  ourselves  must  be  certain,  that  we  have  the 
necessary  qualifications,  or  we  must  not  come.  p.  10. 

M.  We  are  naturally  as  conscious  of  volitions  as  of  specu- 
lations, of  love  as  of  belief,  whenever  we  look  into  our  own 
hearts,  as  all  will  allow.  A  man  whose  mind  is  wavering  be- 
tween Arminianism  and  Calvinism,  inclining  sometimes  to  one 
side  from  the  corrupt  biasses  of  bis  heart,  and  sometimes  to 
the  other  by  the  force  of  evidence,  may  not  be  able  to  say 
which  he  believes.  So  a  man  whose  mind  is  wavering  be- 
tween God  and  Mammom,  inclining  sometimes  to  one  mas- 
ter with  a  view  to  his  future  interest,  and  sometimes  to  the 
oilier  from  an  attachment  to  his  present,  may  not  be  able  t® 


DIALOGUE    HI.  42$ 

say  Tvhich  master  upon  the  whole  he  chooses  ;  for  the  double 
minded  man  is  unstable  in  all  his  ways.  But  Christ  does  not 
desire  men  to  make  a  profession  of  being  his  disciples  till  they 
have  sat  down  and  counted  the  cost,  and  are  come  to  a  set- 
tled determination  ;  as  is  plain  from  Luke  xiv.  25 — 33.  And 
•when  men  are  come  to  that  settled  determination,  which  our 
Saviour  there  describes,  they  may  say  that  they  have  come  to 
it.  And  this  is  all  the  profession  which  we  desire. 

P.  Thus  far  I  have  acted  the  part  of  a  disputant,  and  I 
have  now  done.  Suffer  me  therefore  once  more  to  reassume 
that  honest  character  which  I  sustained  in  my  first  visit ;  for 
let  others  say  what  they  will,  1  design  to  act  an  honest  part. 
Now  the  truth  of  the  case  is  this,  I  am  not  specially  concern- 
ed to  know  by  what  rule  the  church  must  be  governed  in 
admitting  members ;  neither  am  I  concerned  to  know  what 
they  must  do  who  are  in  doubt  about  themselves  :  the  only 
question  about  which  I  am  exercised,  relates  to  my  own  par- 
ticular case.  I  know  1  have  no  grace.  I  know  I  am  uncon- 
verted. I  told  you  so  at  first,  and  so  I  have  told  all  the  min- 
isters with  whom  I  have  conversed  ;  and  how  any  man,  that 
knows  he  has  no  grace,  can  profess  a  compliance  with  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  speak  true,  I  could  not  understand, 
years  ago.  It  was  this  that  induced  me  to  own  the  covenant, 
as  the  phrase  is,  and  not  to  join  in  full  communion,  that  so 
I  might  have  my  children  baptised.  Not  one  of  the  minis- 
ters with  whom  I  have  conversed,  appears  to  justify  the  prin- 
ciples upon  which  I  acted  ;  but  all  as  one  man,  say,  there  is 
but  one  covenant,  and  this  one  covenant  is  the  covenant  of 
grace :  indeed,  they  explain  away  the  covenant  of  grace,  till 
they  bring  it  down  into  a  graceless  covenant,  and  then  tell 
me  I  can  comply  with  that,  and  ought  to  do  so,  and  thus 
join  in  full  communion.  But  you  have  fully  convinced  me 
of  the  inconsistence  and  absurdity  of  this  ;  and  yet  I  would 
beg  leave  to  inquire,  why  might  not  the  covenant  of  grace 
be  voted  out  by  the  church,  and  a  graceless  covenant  be  sub- 
stituted in  its  room  ?  and  then  such  as  I  am  could  consistent- 
ly profess  a  compliance  with  such  a  covenant,  and  have  bap- 
tism for  their  children. 


424  THE  HALF-WAY   COVENANT. 

M.  But  if  a  church  should  vote  out  the  covenant  of  grace, 
or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  in  pther  words,  should  vote  out 
Christianity,  how  could  it  any  longer  be  considered  as  a  visi- 
ble church  of  Christ,  or  as  having  a  visible  right  to  the  visi- 
ble seals  of  God's  covenant?  And  besides,  should  you  bind 
your  child  to  one  of  your  neighbours,  to  learn  some  mechan- 
ic art,  why,  in  this  case,  might  not  the  covenant  be  sealed, 
ratified,  and  confirmed  by  the  administration  of  baptism,  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  ? 

P.  The  proposal  shocks  my  mind.  It  would  be  a  profana- 
tion of  God's  holy  ordinance,  to  take  God's  seal,  appropriat- 
ed to  God's  covenant,  and  put  it  to  man's  covenant. 

M.  But  this  ungracious  covenant  is  man's  covenant,  and 
not  God's.  And  to  take  God's  seal,  appropriated  to  God's 
covenant,  even  to  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  apply  it  to  a 
covenant  which  God  never  made,  to  a  covenant  made  by 
men,  is  to  profane  the  holy  ordinance:  and  knowingly  to 
profane  God's  holy  ordinance,  is  not  a  duty,  nor  is  this  to  put 
ourselves  in  the  way  of  a  blessing. 

P.  What  need  is  there  of  any  covenant  at  all  ? 

M.  It  is  not  the  manner  of  men  to  put  a  seal  to  a  clean 
piece  of  paper.  Nor  did  God  ever  appoint  seals  to  be  put  to 
a  blank.  God's  seals  were  appointed  to  be  put  to  God's  co- 
venant;  and  we  have  no  right  to  put  them  to  a  blank;  and 
besides,  it  would  be  to  give  up  the  import  of  the  actions,  and 
to  render  sealing  ordinances  unmeaning,  empty,  useless  cere- 
monies. 

P.  What  shall  I  do  ? 

M.  Rtptnt  and  believe  the  Gospel.  Thus  preached  John 
the  Baptist:  thus  preached  Jesus  Christ ;  and  thus  his  apos- 
tles. And  therefore,  being  emboldened  by  their  examples, 
I  say  unto  you,  Enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  ;  for  wide  is  the 
gate,  and  broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and 
many  there  be  that  go  in  thereat ;  because  strait  is  the  gate, 
end  narrow  is  the  way,  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there 
be  that  find  it. 

P.  1  thank  you,  sir,  for  your  kind  and  friendly  instructions. 
1  ask  your  prayers. — I  must  go. 


DIALOGUE  III.  425 

M.  I  will  detain  you  but  a  minute  longer.  You  remember 
your  former  minister,  the  author  of  the  second  Dialogue  con- 
cerning the  half -way  covenant,  said,  "  There  is  no  half-way 
covenant.  Doubtless  it  is  the  covenant  of  grace.  No  one 
disputes  its  being  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  no  one  DARE  DE- 
NY JT."  And  your  present  patron  says  much  the  same. 
You  remember  also,  that  in  your  second  visit,  I  told  you,  that 
to  say  this,  was  implicitly  to  "  yield  up  every  point  for  which 
we  contend  ;"  and,  in  this  view,  I  added,  "  nor  do  I  doubt, 
if  this  controversy  should  go  on,  it  will  soon  appear,  that 
there  is  one  who  dares  deny  it-  For  otherwise  all  men  of 
sense  will  see,  that  gentlemen  on  that  side  of  the  question 
are  grossly  inconsistent  with  themselves."  And  now  it  hath 
come  to  pass,  that  one  of  the  most  discerning  gentlemen  on, 
that  side  of  the  question,  has  published  a  laboured  piece,  to 
prove,  that  in  order  to  enjoy  sealing  ordinances  for  ourselves 
and  our  children,  we  are  not  to  profess  a  compliance  with 
the  covenant  of  grace,  but  only  with  a  graceless  covenant. 
This  therefore  is  the  only  point  that  needs  to  be  settled,  in 
order  to  settle  the  whole  controversy  ;  to  this  point,  therefore, 
I  advise  you  to  give  a  most  serious  attention.  For,  if  it  can 
be  proved  that  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are  seals  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  not  of  a  graceless  covenant,  the 
axe  will  be  laid  to  the  root  of  the  tree.  Attend,  therefore,  to 
the  subject  with  the  utmost  impartiality,  that  you  may  obtain 
not  only  light  in  your  head,  but  also  reap  saving  advantage 
to  your  soul.  1  have  known  some  Christless  sinners,  by  the 
means  of  this  controversy,  awakened  to  a  greater  concern 
about  their  eternal  salvation  than  ever  they  were  before. 
And,  be  assured,  sir,  that  the  truths  of  the  Gospel,  if  they  are 
not  unto  your  own  soul  a  savour  of  life  unto  life,  will  be  a 
savour  of  death  unto  death.  Eternity,  an  endless  eternity, 
lies  before  you.  You  have  slept  secure  in  sin  long  enough  ; 
it  is  high  time  you  should  awake.  Every  circumstance  of 
your  own  soul,  and  every  circumstance  of  your  dear  offspring, 
calls  upon  you  without  delay  to  awake,  and  turn  to  God 
through  Jesus  Christ,  in  sincerity  and  truth.  O,  what  joy 
would  it  give  me,  ere  long  to  admit  you  into  full  communion 
with  the  church,  on  a  profession  of  a  compliance  with  the 

VOL.   ni.  54 


426  THE    HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

covenant  of  grace,  in  which  you  should  appear  to  act  under- 
standingly  and  honestly  !     That  snlvation  may  thus  come  to 
you  and  to  your  household,  may  God  of  his  infinite  mercy 
grant,  through  Jesus  Christ. 
My  dear  sir,  farewell. 


DIALOGUE  IV. 

A  reply  to  the  parishioner's  letter,  concerning  qnalifi 'cations 
for  Christian  communion  ;  printed  at  New-Haven. 

PARISHIONER.  SIR,  three  times  [  have  been  with  you  here- 
tofore, to  get  nay  child  baptised  ;  and  I  am  now  come  to 
make  you  a  fourth  visit,  w'uh  the  letter  lately  printed  at 
New-Haven,  in  my  hand. 

MINISTER.  I  am  willing,  .sir,  and  ever  have  been,  to 
oblige  you  in  all  things  wherein  I  lawfully  may.  And  par- 
ticularly, I  am  willing  to  baptise  your  child,  if  you  really,  un- 
derstanding the  true  import  of  the  action,  are  willing  to  offer 
your  child  in  baptism  ;  even  to  dedicate  it  to  the  Father,  and 
to  the  Son,  and  to  tht  Holy  Ghost ;  in  whose  name  it  is  to  be 
baptised.  But,  if  you  do  indeed  love  God  so  well,  as  that 
you  are  willing  to  give  him  your  child,  to  be  his  for  ever, 
why  are  you  not  as  willing  to  give  him  yourself?  And  why 
should  you  not,  first  of  all,  give  yourself  up  to  God  through 
Jesus  Christ;  and  then,  after  that,  give  your  child  to  him? 
In  this  way  God  will  become  your  covenant  God  and  Father 
in  this  world,  and  your  eternal  portion  in  the  next.  This  is 
all  I  wait  for.  And  this  is  what  I  have,  from  the  beginning,, 
been  urging  upon  you,  as  your  immediate,  indispensable  duty. 
You  remember  what  I  said  to  you  in  your  first  visit,  "  if  you 
love  God  so  as  to  be  willing  to  have  him  for  your  portion  ; 
if  you  love  Christ  so  as  to  be  willing  to  deny  yourself,  take 
up  yopr  cross  and  follow  him  ;  you  may  have  your  choice  : 
you  may  do  as  you  like  :  come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready. 
And  if  you  would  now  in  fact  make  this  choice,  it  would  put 
an  end  to  your  present  difficulties  about  your  child.  Nothing, 


DIALOGUE  IV.  427 

therefore,  can  hinder  the  baptism  of  your  child,  but  your  con- 
tinuing to  reject  God  and  the  Redeemer,  by  which  you  prac- 
tically renounce  your  own  baptism,  and  forfeit  all  the  bless- 
ings of  the  covenant."  And  you  remember  my  parting  words 
in  your  last  visit,  "  every  circumstance  of  your  own  soul,  and 
every  circumstance  of  your  dear  offspring,  calls  upon  700 
without  delay,  to  awake,  and  to  turn  to  God  through  Jesus 
Christ,  in  sincerity  and  truth.  O,  what  joy  would  it  give  me, 
ere  long,  to  admit  you  into  full  communion  with  the  church, 
on  a  profession  of  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace, 
in  which  you  should  appear  to  act  understandingly  and  ho- 
nestly !"  And  you  are  my  witness,  that  at  all  times  I  am  rea- 
dy to  instruct  you,  to  pray  for  you,  and  if  need  be,  to  rebuke 
you  with  all  tenderness  and  kindness. 

P.  Inspired  by  the  spirit  which  runs  through  the  New- 
Haven  letter,  I  must  say,  that  I  despise  your  rebukes,  p.  4. 
and  do  not  desire  your  prayers,  p.  18.  "  Could  I  sufficiently 
dissemble,  I  should  give  you  joy,  and  gain  a  speedy,  easy  ad- 
mittance into  your  church  ;"  p.  JO. — but,  for  my  part,  I  look 
upon  you  as  little  or  nothing  better  than  the  very  worst  of  he- 
retics. For  "  your  principles,  sir,  are  too  near  of  kin  to 
those  most  shocking  principles  lately  broached  in  the  land, 
by  several  who  have  a  fondness  for  being  authors;  particu- 
larly by  Mr.  Sandeman,  and  Mr.  Hopkins.  Mr.  Sandeman 
says,  \\iaifaith  is  obtained,  as  the  most  remarkable  discoveries 
have  been  obtained,  the  use  of  the  magnet,  Jesuit's  bark,  and 
•many  chymical  discoveries  ;  i.  e.  not  when  these  things,  but  some- 
thing else,  was  looked  for. — Mr.  Hopkins  says,  it  is  indeed,  as 
great  an  absurdity  as  can  be  thought  of,  to  suppose  that  the 
corrupt,  vicious  heart,  dues  any  thing  towards  becoming*holy, 
&c.  for  all  the  exercises  and  volitions  of  the  corrupt  unregene- 
rate  htart  are  certainly  the  exercises  of  sin." 

"  These  principles,  sir,  I  look  upon  of  the  most  dangerous 
tendency,  of  any  that  were  ever  broached  in  the  Christian 
world,  deism  itself  not  excepted."  p.  20. 

M.  My  dear  sir,  be  cool,  and  think  a  minute  or  two  whe 
you  are,  and  what  you  say,  and  what  you  have  been  doing. 
You  are  my  parishioner.  In  this  character  you  have  made  me 
three  visits  before  this.  In  this  character  you  are  now  talk- 


428  THE  HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 

ing  with  me.  You  knew  my  principles  before  you  ever  cle- 
sired  me  to  baptise  your  child.  And  you  knew  that  the 
church  under  my  care  profess  to  be  in  the  same  scheme  of  re- 
ligion with  me.  And  would  you  desire  that  your  child 
should  be  baptised  by  the  worst  of  heretics  !  Or  would  you 
desire  tojoin  with  such  a  church  !  Where  is  the  honesty  or  con- 
sistence of  your  conduct!  You  are  inspired  with  a  spirit,  in- 
deed ;  but  I  fear  you  knotc  not  what  spirit  you  are  of. 

As  to  our  sentiments  touching  total  depravity,  works  done 
by  unregenerale  men,  and  the  sovereignty  of  divine  grace  in  the 
conversion  of  sinners,  we  profess  to  agree  with  the  Assembly  of 
divines  at  Westminster.  And  you  know,  that  their  confession 
of  faith,  and  larger  and  shorter  catechism*  are  adopted  by  the 
church  of  Scotland,  as  their  test  of  orthodoxy  ;  and  are  much 
the  same  with  the  Savoy  confession  of  faith,  which  is  adopted, 
in  general,  by  the  churches  in  Massachusetts  and  in  Connec- 
ticut. But, 

These  public  formulas  declare,  as  to  total  depravity,  that 
"  we  are  utterly  indisposed,  disabled,  and  opposite  to  all  good, 
and  wholly  inclined  to  all  evil."  And  as  to  works  done  by 
unregenerate  men,  that  "  although  for  the  matter  of  them 
they  may  be  things  which  God  commands,  and  of  good  use 
to  themselves  and  others ;  yet  because  they  proceed  not  from 
a  heart  purified  by  faith,  nor  are  done  in  a  right  manner,  ac- 
cording to  the  word,  nor  to  a  right  end,  the  glory  of  God  ;  they 
are  therefore  sinful,  and  cannot  please  God,  or  make  a  man 
meet  to  receive  grace  from  God.  And  yet  their  neglect  of  them 
is  more  sinful  and  displeasing  to  God."  And,  as  to  the  divine 
sovereignty  in  the  conversion  of  sinners,  they  say,  that  "all  those 
•whom  God  hath  predestinated  unto  life,  and  those  only,  he  is 
pleased  in  his  appointed  and  accepted  time  effectually  to  call, 
&c.  This  effectual  call  is  of  God's  free  and  special  grace  alone, 
not  from  any  thing  at  all  foreseen  in  man,  who  is  altogether 
passive  therein,  until,  being  quickened  and  renewed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  he  is  thereby  enabled  to  answer  this  call,"  &c. 

And  the  famous  Mr.  Stodclard,  in  his  Treatise  concerning 
the  Nature  of  Conversion,  says,  p.  7.  "  If  men  do  not  act  from 
gracious  motives,  and  for  gracious  ends,  they  do  not  the  thing 
that  God  commands  ;  there  is  no  obedience  to  God  in  what 


DIALOGUE  IV. 

they  do  :  they  do  not  attend  the  will  of  God."  And,  p.  9. 
"  There  is  an  opposition  between  saving  grace  and  common 
grace  ;  common  graces  are  lusts,  and  do  oppose  saving  grace. 
Making  his  own  salvation  his  end,  is  contrary  to  making  the 
glory  of  God  his  last  end  :  hating  sin,  not  because  it  wrongs 
God,  but  because  it  exposes  him,  is  resisting  the  command  of 
God  :  bringing  every  thing  into  subserviency  to  his  own  ends, 
is  opposite  to  the  bringing  every  thing  into  a  subserviency  to 
God's  glory.  The  man  that  hath  but  common  grace,  goeth 
quite  in  another  path  than  that  which  God  directs  unto  :  when 
lie  goeth  about  to  establish  his  own  righteousness,  he  sets 
himself  against  that  way  of  salvation  which  God  prescribes. 
Rom.  x.  3.  There  is  an  enmity  in  the  ways  of  such  men  as 
have  but  common  grace,  to  the  ways  that  godly  men  take." 
Thus  Mr.  Stoddard. 

And  now,  my  parishioner,  I  appeal  to  you,  to  judge  whether 
these  quotations,  out  of  the  confession  of  faith  and  Mr.  Stod- 
dard, "  are  not  as  near  of  kin  to  those  shocking  principles, 
which  you  look  upon  of  the  most  dangerous  tendency  of  any 
that  were  ever  broached  in  the  Christian  world,  deism  itself 
not  excepted,"  as  any  thing  I  ever  advanced  from  the  pulpit 
or  the  press. 

And  if  some  of  the  important  doctrines  of  Christianity 
are  more  obnoxious  to  you  than  deism  itself  ;  that  is,  if  you 
are  nearer  a  deist  than  you  are  a  Christian  ;  certainly  you  are 
not  fit  to  be  a  church-member,  or  to  offer  your  child  in  bap- 
tism, or  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper,  according  to  your 
own  principles.  For  you  say,  that  men  must  be  orthodox. 
And  you  cannot  deny,  that  the  church  of  Scotland,  and  the 
churches  in  New-England,  have  as  good  a  right  to  judge  for 
themselves,  what  principles  are  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God, 
and  of  importance  to  be  professed,  as  you  have  to  judge  for 
yourself.  \Ve  are  willing,  that  those  who  look  upon  the  doc- 
trines contained  in  our  public  formulas,  as  being  worse  than 
deism,  should  hwld  communion  among  themselves,  but  we 
think  it  an  inconsistence  in  them  to  desire  to  be  members  of 
our  churches. 

P.  *  Unholy  obedience  is  a  contradiction  in  terms  ;  for  ho- 
liness and  obedience  are  the  same  thing.'  p.  8. 


430  THE    HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

M.  In  saying  this,  you  condemn  Mr.  Mather's  scheme  of 
an  external  graceless  covenant,  by  wholesale.  However, 
strictly  speaking,  what  you  say  is  true.  And  in  this  view 
Mr.  Stoddard's  words  are  exactly  right,  (speaking  of  the  nn- 
regenerate,)  f  There  is  no  obedience  to  God  in  what  they  do/ 
And  thus  it  is  said  by  the  church  of  England,  in  her  39  arti- 
cles; '  Works  done  before  the  grace  of  Christ,  nnd  the  in- 
spiration of  his  spirit,  are  not  pleasant  to  God.  Yea,  rather, 
for  that  they  are  not  done  as  God  hath  commanded  and 
willed  them  to  be  done,  we  doubt  not  but  that  they  have 
the  nature  of  sin.'  See  article  13.  Do  you,  sir,  believe  this  r 

P.  No;  far  from  it.  Rather  I  believe  that  '  all  the  obe- 
dience of  an  unconverted  man  is  holy  obedience.'  Yea,  I 
believe,  that  '  the  obedience  of  an  unrenewed  man,  so  far 
forth  as  it  is  obedience,  is  as  holy  as  any  that  a  gracious  man 
can  yield.  Though  it  is  but  a  partial  and  imperfect  obedi- 
ence, yet  just  so  much  as  there  is  of  obedience,  just  so  much 
holiness.  And,  '  a  measure  of  strength  is  given  him  by 
God,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways  and  keep  all  his  commands, 
seeking  his  glory.'  p.  8,  9.  And  in  any  other  view  I  must 
acknowledge,  that  the  unconverted  covenanter' would  be 
f  perjured.'  For,  to  swear  to  obey  a  covenant  which  zee  cannot 
obey,  is  perjury.  And  therefore,  had  the  unconverted  no 
power  to  yield  a  holy  obedience,  it  would  be  perjury  in  them 
to  enter  into  covenant  engagements  to  do  it.  p.  8. 

M.  If  I  understand  you  right,  and  you  are  in  earnest  in 
this  declaration,  then  you  believe  that  the  unconverted  are, 
in  a  measure,  really  holy.  And  therefore,  are  not  totally  de- 
praved, as  is  asserted  in  the  Confession  of  Faith  adopted  by 
our  churches.  And  if  this  be  so,  then  you  are  not  sound  in 
the  faith.  And  those  who  are  not  sound  in  thefajih,  have  no 
right  to  church  privileges,  according  to  your  own  principles. 
You,  therefore,  cannot  consistently  claim  church  privileges 
of  any  of  our  churches.  Indeed,  you  may  think  our  Confes- 
sion of  Faith  not  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God,  and  you  may 
think  the  same  of  the  articles  of  the  church  of  England  :  if, 
therefore,  you  would  act  a  consistent  part,  you  should  join, 
neither  with  us  nor  them  ;  but  rather  form  a  new  church, 
e»n  a  new  plan,  with  those  who  think  as  you  do.  For  it  is  ab- 


DIALO«UE  IV.  431 

suid  for  ihose  who  differ  in  essentials,  to  walk  together  as 
brethren.  And  to  profess  our  belief  of  articles  of  religion, 
which  we  do  not  believe,  for  the  sake  of  church  privileges,  is 
as  gross  dissimulation  in  the  laity  among  us,  as  it  is  in  the 
clergy  in  England,  who  subscribe  the  39  articles  of  that 
church,  in  order  to  enjoy  a  benefice,  when  they  do  not  be- 
lieve them,  as  in  the  case  with  the  Arians,  Socinians,  and 
Arminians,  among  them.  In  a  word,  if  you  really  disbelieve 
the  doctrines  of  total  depravity,  and  of  divine  sovereignty,  you 
can  by  no  means  consistently  join  with  us. 

P.  '  These  principles  deny  the  present  state  of  the  unre- 
generate  to  be  a  state  of  probation  :  they  deny  him  to  be  a 
moral  agent :  they  deny  the  justice  of  punishment  for  any 
sin.'  p.  21. 

M.  So  says  Dr  Taylor,  so  says  Dr.  Whitby,  so  says  Dr. 
Stebbins,  and  all  other  Pelagian  and  Arminian  writers  1  ever 
read.  They  all  agree,  that  the  doctrines  of  total  depravity 
and  of  divine  sovereignty,  as  held  by  the  Calvinists,  are  abso- 
lutely inconsistent  with  moral  agency.  They  have  said  it  a 
thousand  times,  and  they  have  been  answered  as  often.  Thus 
stands  the  controversy.  "  Because  I  have  no  heart  to  love 
God,  therefore  I  cannot  be  bound  in  duty  to  love  him." 
"  Because  1  am  dead  in  sin,  and  opposite  to  all  good,  there- 
fore lhat  law  which  says,  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  ail  things,  cannot  justly  reach  me."  "  Because  we  all, 
with  one  consent,  excuse  ourselves  from  coming  to  the  Gos- 
pel feast ;  therefore  we  are  not  in  a  state  of  probation."  "  Be- 
cause God  says,  may  I  not  do  what  I  mil  with  my  own  V 
therefore,  we  may  say,  we  are  not  in  duty  bound,  to  regard 
his  law,  or  hearken  to  his  Gospel."  Reasoning,  which  if  it 
has  weight  in  it,  proves  the  fundamental  maxims  of  the  bi- 
ble to  be  false;  for  that  book  teaches,  that  we  may  be  dead 
in  sin,  and  yet  deserve  to  be  damned  for  that  sin  :  that  God  is 
not  obliged  in  justice,  or  by  promise,  to  grant  converting 
grace  to  any  impenitent  sinner ;  and  yet  it  is  the  duty  of  such 
sinner*  everywhere  to  repent.  But  you  may,  at  your  leisure, 
see  my  sentiments  on  these  subjects  at  large,  and  my  confu- 
tation of  Mr.  Sandeman's  scheme  of  religion,  both  at  once, 
in  a  book  lately  printed  at  Boston,  entitled,  An  Essay  on  the 
Nature  and  Glury  of  the  Gospel.  However, 


432  THE  HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 


readily  grant,  that  there  is  an  absolute  necessity  of 
denying  total  depravity  on  the  one  hand,  or  of  giving  up 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  substituting  a  graceless  covenant 
in  its  room,  on  the  other  hand  ;  in  order  to  open  a  door  for  the 
unconverted,  as  such,  to  enter  into  covenant  with  GOD,  and 
join  in  full  communion  with  the  church,  consistently  with 
truth  and  honesty.  But,  yet  so  it  happens,  that  on  either 
plan  men  cannot  consistently  be  admitted  into  our  churches. 
For,  if  they  deny  total  depravity,  they  must  be  deemed  not 
sound  in  the  faith,  according  to  our  approved  standard  ;  and 
therefore,  must  not  be  admitted.  And  if  they  substitute  a 
graceless  covenant  in  the  room  of  the  covenant  of  grace, 
they  go  off  from  the  plan  on  which  our  churches  were  origi- 
nally founded  ;  and  so,  consistently,  cannot  be  members  of 
them.  We  must  have  a  new  confession  of  faith,  and  a  new 
plan  of  church  order,  and  form  new  churches,  before  either 
of  these  ways  will  answer  the  end.  Besides,  if  the  unconvert- 
ed have  a  degree  of  real  holiness,  and  do,  though  in  an  im- 
perfect manner,  yet  really  comply  with  the  covenant  of  grace, 
then  the  unconverted  are,  in  fact,  entitled  not  only  to  the 
seals,  but  also  to  all  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace  ; 
even  to  pardon,  justification,  and  eternal  life.  Than  which 
nothing  can  be  more  contrary  to  the  whole  tenour  of  Scrip- 
ture, which  every  where  declares  all  such  to  be  under  the 
wrath  of  God,  and  curse  of  the  law,  condemned  already, 
liable  to  be  struck  dead  and  sent  to  hell  at  any  moment.  John 
iii.  18.  Sfj.  Gal.  iii.  10. 

P.  The  unconverted  Israelites  made  a  profession  of  the 
very  covenant  you  plead  for;  and  why  cannot  we  ?  p.  23. 

M.  You  can,  if  you  will,  do  as  they  did,  viz.  fatter  Mm 
Kith  your  mouth,  and  lie  unto  him  rcith  your  tongues.  But 
then  you  ought  not  to  take  it  ill,  if  the  true  nature  of  your 
conduct  is,  from  the  word  of  God,  set  in  a  clear  light  before 
you. 

P.  But  I  do  take  it  ill  ;  indeed  I  do.  Particularly  the  re- 
buke you  gave  me  for  dissimulation,  in  my  last  visit,  I  do  not 
take  well  at  your  hands.  For  I  am  not  the  guilty  man.  p.  3. 

M.  The  man  I  rebuked  for  dissimulation,  was  my  parish- 
ioner, w.hose  conversation  with  me  was  printed  in  the  New- 


DIALOGUE    IV.  433 

Haven  Dialogue ;  and  who,  in  his  first  visit,  told  me  '  that  he 
did  not  mean  to  profess  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of 
grace,  when  he  owned  the  covenant.'  On  which  1  let  him 
know,  that  he,  for  that  very  reason,  had  no  right  by  virtue  of 
that  profession,  to  claim  the  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace  for 
his  child.  For  this  very  same  man  afterwards  came  again  to 
me,  to  baptise  that  very  same  chiW,  and  put  on  a  bold  face, 
and  declared,  that  "he  had  entered  into  that  covenant,"  and 
therefore  had  a  right  to  the  seal  of  it. 

P.  "  I  shall  not.  trouble  myself  to  defend  this  parishioner 
against  the  charge  of  dissimulation."  p.  4.  But  I  am  not  the 
same  man.  p.  3. 

M.  If  you  are  not  the  same  man,  why  do  you  take  the 
charge  of  dissimulation  to  yourself  now  ?  Or  why  did  you 
pretend  to  be  the  same  man  then  ?  Why  did  you  call  yourself 
by  the  same  name  ?  And  why  did  you  begin  with  me  in  these 
words  ?  "  Sir,  I  find  the  dialogue  which  passed  between  us 
the  other  day  is  printed."  Is  it  not  evident,  by  this,  that  you 
intended  then,  that  I  should  consider  you  as  the  very  same 
man  ?  but  no  sooner  do  I  find  you  contradicting  yourself,  and 
rebuke  you  for  it,  but  you  cry  out,  "  this  dialogue  did  not 
pass  between  you  and  me."  To  use  your  own  words,  sir, 
"  it  is  easy  to  see  your  unlucky  mistake."  And  "  it  is  real- 
ly pleasant  enough"  to  see  you  drove  to  a  necessity  of  chang- 
ing your  name,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the  fault,  which  other- 
wise you  must,  even  in  your  own  judgment,  be  reputed  guilty 
of.  We  have  heard  of  men's  changing  their  names  when 
pursued  for  their  crimes,  that  they  might  avoid  their  pursu- 
ers ;  but  did  you  before  now  ever  hear  of  a  parishioner,  that 
went  to  his  minister  to  get  his  child  baptised,  that  did  so  ? 

P.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  grand  question  is  this,  viz.  "  Can 
a  man,  who  knows  he  has  no  grace,  profess  a  compliance 
with  the  covenant  of  grace,  without  wilful  lying  r"  p.  5.  You 
say  he  cannot :  I  say,  he  can. — Indeed,  once  I  was  of  your 
opinion  ;  and  this  was  the  reason  I  did  not  join  in  full  commu- 
nion ;  but  I  am  of  another  mind  now.  And  I  can,  though  I 
know  I  have  no  grace,  yet  make  a  profession  of  a  compliance 
with  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  honestly  as  any  man.  And  to 
charge  any  one  with  wilful  lying  for  this,  is  virtually  to  charge 
the  ministers  and  churches  through  the  lund  with  that  horrid 
crime,  p.  3. 

VOL.  in.  **>5 


434  THE  HAW-WAY    COVENANT. 

M.  As  this  is  a  matter  of  importance,  it  deserves  to  be 
thought  of  seriously,  and  to  be  thoroughly  looked  into.  And 
if  you  will  be  serious  only  long  enough  to  understand  the 
proposition,  you  will  be  forced  to  believe  it.  For, 

By  the  covenant  of  grace,  we  mean  that  covenant  which 
promises  pardon  and  eternal  life  to  those  who  comply  with 
it.  By  a  compliance  with  it,  we  mean,  saving  grace ;  i.  e. 
such  gracious  exercises  as  are  infallibly  connected  with  sal- 
vation. Such  as  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  tozeard 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  imply  supreme  love  to  God 
and  Christ  in  their  very  nature,  and  a  cordial  disposition  to  a  life 
of  sincere  obedience  to  all  God's  commands  d.  By  one  who 
has  no  grace,  we  mean  one  who  is  entirely  destitute  of  this 
repentance,  faith,  love,  and  new  obedience,  which  are  con- 
nected with  eternal  life  ;  being  dead  in  sin. 

When  therefore  it  is  said,  that  "  a  man,  who  knows  that  he 
has  no  grace,  cannot  profess  a  compliance  with  the  covenant 
of  grace,  without  wilful  lying;"  the  truth  of  the  proposition 
is  as  evident,  as  when  it  is  said,  that  "  a  man  who  knows  that 
two  and  two  are  but  four,  cannot  say,  that  two  and  two  are 
five,  without  wilful  lying."  And  therefore,  as  soon  as  the  pro- 
position is  understood,  it  cannot  but  be  believed.  There  is  no 
way  to  avoid  it.  For, 

1 .  If  you  explain  down  the  covenant  of  grace  into  a  grace- 
less covenant,  with  which  a  graceless  heart  may  really  com- 
ply, it  will  not  help  your  cause  in  the  least.     For  if  a  grace- 
less heart  may  comply  with  this  graceless  covenant,  yet  it  still 
remains  a  self-evident  truth,  that  a  graceless  heart  doth  not 
comply  with  the  covenant  of  grace.     Or, 

2.  If  you  represent  an  unconverted  graceless  man,  as  not 
being  dead  in  sin,  and  without  strength;  but  as  really  having  a 
degree  of  spiritual  life,  and  spiritual  strength,  and  spiritual 

d  A  saving  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  it  what  does  not  in  the  least 
degree  take  place  in  the  unregenerate,  but  does  actually  take  place  in  all  true 
believer*.  For  although  it  implies  saving  grace,  yet  it  does  not  imply  perfeet 
holiness.  Those,  therefore,  who  are  true  believers,  may  make  a  profession  honest- 
ly ;  but  those  who  ate  not,  cannot.  To  say,  that  a  true  believer  cannot  make  a  pro- 
fession honestly,  because  he  is  not  perfectly  holy,  supposes  that  a  saving  com- 
pliance with  the  covenant  of  grace  implies  perfect  holiness.  Which  is  not  true, 
as  is  {ranted  oa  all  hands. 


DIALOGUE  IV.  435 

ability  to  yield  holy  obedience  to  all  God's  commands  ;  and 
so  as  complying  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  reality,  though 
but  in  an  imperfect  degree,  it  will  noi  help  your  cause  at  all. 
For  this  graceless  mi*n,  so  called,  is  in  fact  a  gracious  man, 
and  is  entitled  not  only  to  the  seals,  but  also  to  the  blessings 
of  the  covenant  of  grace.  Because  he  does,  in  fact,  comply 
with  it.  Rather  it  runs  you  into  the  absurdity  of  saying  that 
some  unconverted,  graceless  sinners,  are  real  converts  and  true 
saints,  and  have  a  title  to  eternal  life,  i.  e.  of  expressly  con- 
tradicting yourself.  Or, 

3.  If  you  say,  "  a  graceless  sinner  may  comply  with  the  co- 
venant of  grace,  with  moral  sincerity,  though  not  with  gra- 
cious sincerity:"  it  will  not  help  your  cause.  For  there  is 
but  one  kind  of  real  complying  with  the  covenant  of  grace  ; 
and  this  entitles  to  eternal  life.  For  he  that  really  complies 
with  the  covenant  of  grace,  doth,  in  so  doing,  act  graciously. 
Thus,  he  who  loves  God  supremely  with  moral  sincerity, 
does  love  God  supremely,  in  reality ;  but  this  real  supreme 
love  to  God  is  a  gracious  and  holy  love  to  God.  And  you 
have  already  said,  "  that  obedience  to  God  is  always  holy," 
"  and.  the  obedience  of  the  unrenewed,  as  holy  as  any  that  a 
gracious  man  can  yield."  p.  8.  But  if  so,  then  this  obedi- 
ence is  performed  with  gracious  sincerity,  as  really  as  the 
obedience  of  any  gracious  man  is.  But,  if  your  graceless 
man  does  comply  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  a  gracious 
manner,  he  will  go  to  heaven  along  with  true  saints.  And, 
iherefore,  that  saying  of  our  blessed  Saviour  is  not  true— - 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God." 

It  remains,  therefore,  that  this  proposition  must  pass  for  a 
self-evident  truth,  which  cannot  but  be  believed,  as  soon  as 
it  is  understood,  viz.  "  A  man  who  knows  he  has  no  grace, 
cannot  profess  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace, 
without  wilful  lying."  You  may  as  well  say,  that  black  it  rchite, 
or  that  a  dead  man  is  alive,  or  that  a  graceless  sinner  is  a  real 
taint,  as  say,  that  "  a  man,  who  knows  he  has  no  grace,  can 
profess  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  honestly 
and  with  a  good  conscience/'  And,  therefore,  a  man  must 
either  not  know  what  he  is  about,  or  his  conscience  must  be 


436  THE    HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

very  much  seared,  or  he  will  not  dare  to  profess  a  compli- 
ance with  the  covenant  of  grace  while  he  knows  he  has  no 
grace.  Indeed,  it  is  a  full  proof  that  a  man  is  to  a  great  de- 
gree destitute  of  moral  honesty,  if,  with  his  eyes  open,  lie 
dare  to  make  such  a  profession.  It  is  at  least  as  gross  wick- 
edness as  that  which  Annanias  and  Sapphira  were  guilty  of, 
in  saying,  This  is  all  the  money,  when  they  knew  that  it  teas 
not  all.  They  lied  to  the  Holt/  GAos£,and  this  man  flatters 
God  with  his  mouth,  and  lies  unto  him  with  his  tongue. 
Psal.  Ixxviii.  36. 

To  be  consistent,  therefore,  we  must  vote  the  covenant  of 
grace  out,  in  our  church,  and  vote  in  a  graceless  covenant 
in  its  roojn,  or  you  cannot  be  admitted  as  a  member.  And 
if  we  should  vote  out  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  vote  in  a 
graceless  covenant  in  its  room,  we  should,  so  far  as  this  vote 
should  have  influence,  cease  to  be  a  visible  church  of  Christ. 
Nor  should  we  have  a  visible  right  to  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper,  which  are  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  of  no 
other  covenant.  For  there  are  but  two  covenants  which 
now  take  place  between  God  and  man,  viz.  the  covenant 
of  works,  and  the  covenant  of  grace.  Rom.  iii.  27. 

P.  I  am  not  able  to  think  of  this  seriously,  and  to  answer 
it  honestly.  I  have  no  other  way  therefore  to  get  rid  of  the 
truth,  but  to  misrepresent  and  ridicule  it.  p.  5 — 9.  How- 
ever, I  have  two  objections  against  this  scheme,  viz.  1.  The 
church  cannot  know  who  do  really  comply  with  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  p.  16.  Nor,  2.  Can  any  join  with  the  church 
but  those  who  have  full  assurance*,  p.  19. 

e  OBJ.  Baptism  alone  makes  me  a  church-member,  or  it  does  not.  If  it 
doe«,  then  I  have  a  right  to  the  Lord's  table :  if  it  does  not,  then  the  church  have 
no  right  to  discipline  me. 

Ax*.  If  baptism  alone  gives  a  right  to  the  Lord's  table,  then  all  baptised  per- 
son* in  Christendom,  young  and  old*  good  and  bad,  the  excommunicated  not  ex- 
cepted,  have  «n  equal  right :  vlnVh  none  will  grant.  And  if  the  church  have  no 
right  to  discipline  any  but  those  who  have  a  right  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table, 
then  they  have  no  right  to  discipline  any  who  are  guilty  of  heresy  or  scandal ; 
for  such  have  no  right  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table.  The  objection  is  founded  on 
two  propositions,  both  of  which  are  false,  even  in  the  judgment  of  the  objector, 
viz.  1.  That  baptism  alone  gives  a  right  to  the  Lord's  table,  without  any  other 
'pi  jtlification  whatsoever  :  upon  which  rule,  eten  the  excommunicated  ctnnot  be 


DIALOCUE    IV.  437 

M.  You  may  find  a  full  answer  to  these  objections  in  what 
I  have  already  published  on  this  subject,  which  you  appear 
not  to  have  attended  to.  But  pray,  what  rule  would  you 
have  the  church  proceed  by  in  the  admission  of  members  ? 
Would  you  have  certain  evidence,  that  the  candidates  for  ad- 
mission have  the  requisite  qualifications  insisted  on  by  the 
church  ? 

P.  Yes,  indeed.  For,  '  this  is  my  principle,  that  every 
man,  (asking  special  ordinances,)  is  as  CERTAINLY  qualified 
to  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper,  as  he  is  to  breathe,  unless 
there  is  CERTAIN  EVIDENCE  that  he  is  disqualified."  p.  10. 

M.  But  one,  who  is  at  heart  a  deist,  and  who  lives  secretly 
in  adultery,  may,  to  answer  political  ends,  "  ask  for  special 
ordinances,"  and  there  may  be  no  "  certain  evidence"  of  his 
crimes.  Therefore,  according  to  this  NEW  DIVINITY,  this 
infidel,  this  adulterer,  is  as  certainly  qualified  to  partake  of 
the  Lord's  supper,  as  he  is  to  breathe." 

P.  Shocking  consequence  !  However,  this  I  lay  down  for 
an  infallible  truth,  that  all  who  have  visibly  entered  into  co- 
venant, as  I  have  done,  "  to  walk  in  all  God's  ways  and  to 
keep  all  his  commands,"  are  bound  by  their  own  vow  to  at- 
tend special  ordinances,  p.  10,  11,  12. 

M.  What !  Bound,  though  they  know  themselves  to  be 
unqualified  ?  Is  the  nbovementioned  infidel  and  adulteier 
bound  ?  What !  bound  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  a  well-regu- 
lated conscience,  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table,  as  he  is  ?  Pray, 
who  bound  him  ?  God  never  did  ;  nor  does  the  vow  he  pub- 
licly made  to  "  walk  in  all  God's  ways,  and  keep  all  his  com- 
mands," bind  him  to  come  as  he  is.  For  this  is  what  God 
never  commanded. 

And  it  is  equally  evident,  that  God  never  commanded  men 
to  make  a  lying  profession  in  any  instance,  either  verbally 
or  practically.  But  to  seal  a  covenant  is,  (practically,)  to 
profess  a  compliance  with  it.  To  seal  a  covenant,  therefore, 
with  which  we  know  we  do  not  comply,  is  what  God,  never 

debarred,  t.  That  the  church  have  no  authority  to  exercise  discipline  over  a*r 
but  those  who  hare  a  right  to  the  Lord's  table  :  upon  which  rule,  those  who  arr 
disqualified  for  the  Lord's  table,  by  heresy  or  scandal,  are  not  subjects  of  disri 
pline. 


438  THE  HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 

commanded.  Yea,  it  is  what  God  has  forbidden  in  every  text 
in  the  bible  which  forbids  lying.  So  that,  if  the  covenant 
to  be  sealed  in  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  is  the  covenant 
of  grace,  as  you  allow  it  is,  then  those  who  know  they  have 
no  grace,  are  forbidden  to  seal  it,  by  every  text  in  the  bible 
•which  forbids  lying.  And  therefore,  that  command,  do  this 
in  remembrance  of  me,  is  beyond  all  doubt,  a  command  which 
respects  believers,  and  them  only  ;  agreeable  to  the  publicly 
professed  belief  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  and  the  churches 
in  New-England,  held  forth  in  their  public  formulas.  Indeed 
it  is  the  duty,  the  indispensable  duty  of  every  one  to  whom  the 
Gospel  comes,  and  their  highest  interest,  to  comply  with  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  that  on  the  very  first  invitation.  As 
soon  as  the  glad  tidings  come  to  our  ears,  come,  for  all  things 
are  now  ready,  whosoever  will  let  him  come ;  we  ought  not 
to  delay  a  moment,  we  ought  not  to  make  one  excuse,  we 
ought  not  to  feel  the  least  reluctance  :  no,  rather  on  the  con- 
trary, we  ought,  with  Peter's  hearers,  to  receive  the  word  glad- 
ly, that  same  day,  and  to  make  a  public  profession  and  join 
with  the  church  the  first  opportunity.  Mat.  xiii.  4.4. — And  to 
neglect  this,  is  a  sin  so  great  and  aggravated,  as  to  expose 
the  neglecters  to  be  given  up  to  God  in  this  world  ;  Luke  xiv. 
24.  and  to  be  cast  off  for  ever  in  the  world  to  come.  Mark 
xvi.  16.  So  that  your  mouth  is  stopped,  and  you  stand  guilty 
before  God.  But,  to  return  to  a  consideration  of  your  visi- 
ble standing.  Pray,  sir,  was  you  esteemed  a  church-member, 
in  full  communion,  in  the  town  where  you  lived  before*  you 
moved  into  this  parish  ? 

P.  No,  sir,  by  no  body.  I  never  looked  upon  myself  to 
be  a  church-member,  in  this  sense  of  the  phrase.  I  never 
meant  to  join  with  the  church,  nor  did  the  minister  or  the 
church  mean  to  receive  me  as  a  church-member,  and  accord- 
ingly, I  never  met  with  the  church  when  they  had  church 
meetings  upon  church  business.  I  never  staid  when  the 
church  was  desired  to  stay,  as  they  sometimes  were,  after 
worship  on  sabbaths,  and  at  other  times.  I  never  voted 
when  the  church  were  called  to  give  in  their  vote  in  any 
matter  whatsoever.  Nor  had  I  any  right  to  go  to  the  Lord's 
table  without  making  a  public  profession  over  again,  and 


DIALOGUE    IV. 

thereby  joining  zdth  the  church,  as  the  common  phrase  was. 
No  such  thing  was  allowed  where  I  was  brought  up  So 
that  1  did  not  think  myself  a  church-member  before  I  moved 
into  this  parish,  nor  was  I  esteemed  and  used  as  a  church- 
member.  Yea,  it  never  entered  into  my  heart,  to  pretend 
any  sucli  thing,  till  my  New-London  patron  taught  me  to 
say  so,  and  to  put  in  these  high  claims,  and  to  den/  my  old 
principles,  and  contradict  myself,  and  finally,  even  to  deny 
my  own  name,  and  pretend  to  be  another  man.  And  since 
then  I  have  felt  "  BRAVELY,"  and  have  looked  down  upon 
you  with  great  contempt. 

M.  The  more  men  mock  God  in  religion,  the  more  proud, 
haughty,  and  insolent,  are  they  apt  to  be  towards  their  fel- 
low men.  A  religion  begun  in  ignorance  like  yours,  and  car- 
ried on  and  perfected  in  this  shocking  manner,  if  it  may  do  to 
live  with,  yet  will  not  do  to  die  by. 

P.  Be  this  as  it  may;  yet  to  say  as  you  do,  "Jbetter  do 
nothing  than  lie,"  tends  to  increase  the  number  of  prayer- 
less  persons,  and  prayerless  families,  to  put  an  end  to  all 
means,  and  in  the  end  to  overthrow  all  religion,  p.  30. 

M.  Doth  not  God  himself  say,  Eccl.  v.  5.  Better  is  it  that 
thou  shouldest  not  vow,  than  that  thou  shouldest  vow  and  not 
pay ;  i.  e.  in  other  words,  "  better  do  nothing  than  lie."  And 
will  you  condemn  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  ?  Either  give  up 
the  bible,  or  abide  by  its  sacred  maxims.  Besides,  thfere  is  a 
difference  between  covenanting  transactions  and  common  means. 
And  accordingly,  Christ  ordered  his  ministers  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature  ;  but  he  did  not  order  them  to  baptise 
tvtry  creature.  For, 

Graceless  sinners  may  hear  the  Gospel  preached,  may  hear 
all  the  truths  and  duties  of  it  explained,  proved,  and  urg- 
ed ;  and  may  attend,  yea,  may  be  very  attentive,  and  medi- 
tate on  them  day  and  night,  till  they  areprkkedat  the  heart : 
they  may  forsake  vain  and  vicious  company,  become  sober, 
serious,  deeply  distressed  about  their  eternal  welfare.  They 
may  spend  much  time  in  secret  prayer,  ( and  an  awakened  sin- 
ner cannot  fail  to  do  it,)  and  frequently  spend  whole  days  in 
fasting  and  prayer,  as  Mr.  Brainerd  used  to  do,  under  his  ter- 
rors, when  he  was  unconverted  ;  pray  read  his  life  :  I  say, 


4*0  THE    HALF-WAY    COVENANT. 

graceless  sinners  may  do  all  this,  without  making  any  profes- 
sion of  godliness.  Yea,  they  may  do  all  this,  and  yet  in  all 
profess  that  they  have  no  grace,  no  love  to  God  in  their  hearts, 
but  are  dead  in  sin. 

You  insinuate,  that  the  doctrines  which  1  preached  tend 
to  licentiousness.  I  appeal  to  facts.  Look  from  the  reforma- 
tion down  to  this  day  ;  look  through  England,  Scotland,  and 
Ireland  ;  look  through  the  British  colonies  in  America,  and 
through  our  West-India  islands  :  and  put  the  question  ;  when 
and  where,  and  among  whom,  has  there  been,  or  is  there  now 
the  greatest  strictness  maintained,  and  the  most  constant, 
diligent,  and  painful  attendance  on  means  ?  Either,  among 
Calvinists,  who  heartily  agree  with  the  Westminster  confes- 
sion of  faith  and  catechisms,  and  where  these  doctrines  are 
taught  privately,  and  preached  publicly  ?  or,  among  Pela- 
gians, Arminians,  and  Semi-Arminians,  who  are  constantly 
teaching  and  preaching  in  another  strain  ?  While  the  assem- 
bly of  divines  sat  at  Westminster,  composing  the  formulas, 
which  I  am  now  vindicating,  London,  that  great  city,  was 
full  of  sermons,  and  prayers,  and  strictness  :  but  since  these 
doctrines  have  been  laid  aside,  and  contrary  doctrines  intro- 
duced, they  are  become  very  licentious  and  debauched.  The 
more  you  flatter  the  sinner,  the  further  will  he  run  from  God 
and  all  good.  But  tell  him  the  truth,  pierce  him  to  the 
heart,  and  he  will  begin  to  cry,  What  shall  I  do  to  be,  saved  ? 

P.  But  can  an  unconverted  sinner  say  the  Lord's  prayer, 
and  speak  true  ?  i.  e.  can  he  profess  to  God,  that  he  hath 
all  those  holy  and  pious  affections  in  his  heart,  which  our  Sa- 
viour designed  those  words  to  express  r  p.  12. 

M.  I  also  will  ask  you  one  question;  answer  me;  and 
then  I  will  answer  you.  Is  not  the  man,  who  thus  says  the 
lord's  prayer,  entitled  to  pardon  and  eternal  life  ? 

P.  No  doubt  he  is.  For,  our  Saviour  says,  If  ye  forgive 
men  their  trespasses,  your  heavenly  father  trill  ako  forgive  you, 
with  a  design  to  explain  in  what  sense  he  meant  that  petition 
should  be  made,  forgive  us  our  debts  as  zee  forgive  our  debtors. 
And  besides,  in  the  same  sermon,  he  expressly  declares,  that 
even/  one  that  asketh,  receiveth. 

M.  It  therefore  follows,  that  no  unconverted  man  ever 


DIALOGUE    IV.  441 

said  tliat  prayer,  in  that  sense,  unless  you  will  oven,  what 
seems  to  be  a  necessary  consequence  of  the  scheme  you  ore 
pleading  for,  that  some  unconverted  men  are  entitled  to  par- 
don and  eternal  life  ;  which  is  so  contrary  to  the  most  plain 
and  express  declarations  of  Scripture,  (John  iii.  18.  36.  Gal. 
iii.  1O.)  that  as  yet,  you  have  not  ventured  to  own  it. 

Thousands,  no  doubt,  have  after  a  sort  said  the  Lord's 
prayer,  who  have  fallen  short  of  eternal  life.  For  the  papists 
say  the  Lord's  prayer  oftener  than  protestants  do,  ten  to  one, 
and  for  every  Pater-Nostcr  they  count  a  bead  And  while 
sinners  are  secure  in  sin,  such  kind  of  praying,  i.  e.  using 
words  without  any  meaning,  will  quiet  their  consciences. 
For  they  now  think  they  have  done  their  duty.  For  without 
the  law  sin  was  dead  :  and  so  I  was  alive  without  the  laic  once. 
But  no  sooner  do  they  fall  under  deep  convictions,  but  that 
they  find  something  else  to  do.  Pray  read  Mr.  Brainerd's 
life,  and  there  you  may  see  how  an  awakened  sinner  feels,  and 
how  he  prays. 

P.  Thus  far,  sir,  I  have  acted  the  part  of  a  disputant.  I  have 
passed  over  nothing  in  the  New  Haven  letler  that  is  new 
and  to  the  purpose.  For  thrs  letter-writer  has  not  said  one 
word  for  my  old  beloved  scheme,  the  half-rcay.  Now  there- 
fore, 1  beg  leave  to  assume  the  friendly,  honest  character, 
which  I  sustained  in  my  first  visit.  For  let  others  do  as  they 
will,  1  am  resolved  to  be  an  honest  man.  Wherefore,  to  sum 
up  the  whole, 

1.  I  believe,  that  there  is  but  one  covenant,  of  which  bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  supper  are  seals.     And  that  he  that  is 
qualified  to  offer  his  children  in  baptism,  is  equally  qualified 
for  the  Lord's  table.     And  therefore,  that  the  half-way  prac- 
tice is  not  according  to  Scripture. 

2.  I  believe,  that  any  man  who  seals  any  covenant  doth. 
in  and  by  the  act  of  sealing,  declare  his  compliance  with  that 
covenant  which  he  seals :  because  this  is  the  import  of  tho 
act  of  sealing. 

S.  1  believe,  that  it  is  of  the  nature  of  lying,  to  seal  a  cove- 
nant, with  which  I  do  not  now,  and  never  did,  comply  in  my 
heart ;  hut  rather  habitually  and  constantly  reject.  Therefore. 

VOL.  ill.  50 


442  THE  HALF-WAY  COVENANT. 

4.  I  believe,  that  a  man  who  knows  he  has  no  grace,  can- 
not seal  the  covenant  of  grace,  honestly  and  with  a  good  con- 
science. 

o.  I  helieve,  that  the  only  point  which  needs  to  be  settled, 
in  order  to  setttle  the  whole  controversy,  is  this,  viz.  Are 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace, 
or  of  a  graceless  covenant  ? 

6.  1  believe,  that  there  are  but  two  covenants  between  God 
and  man,  called  in  Scripture  language,  the  taw  of  zvorks  and 
the  law  of  faith,  but  commonly  called  the  covenant  of  works, 
and  the  covenant  oj  grace.  And  that  the  doctrine  of  an  ex- 
ternal covenant,  distinct  from  the  covenant  of  grace,  is  not 
from  heaven,  but  of  men.  Thus,  sir,  you  have  my  creed. 

M.  Sir,  I  hope  the  time  will  soon  come,  when  you  and  J\ll 
my  other  parishioners,  through  the  country,  will  well  understand 
the  controversy,  and  be  able  to  judge  for  yourselves  what  is  truth 
and  what  is  not  so.  In  the  mean  time, remember,  my  friend, 
that  he  that  knowtth  his  master's  will  and  doth  it  not,  shall  be 
beaten  with  munij  stripes.  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time, 
and  now  is  the  day  of  salvation  ;  therefore  to-day,  if  you  will 
Lear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  heart.  Every  moment  in 
•which  you  continue  practically  to  renounce  your  baptism, 
by  rejecting  Christ  Jesus  and  his  Gospel,  you  hang  over  hell, 
ready  to  sink  under  the  curse  of  the  divine  law,  into  eternal 
burnings.  For  he.  that  believeih  not  is  condemned  already. 
Wherefore,  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel. 

Some  seem  to  think  that  baptism  alone  makes  a  man  a 
Christian,  and  brings  him  really  into  the  covenant  of  grace, 
so  as  that  he  is  no  longer  under  the  covenant  of  works,  as  the 
unbaptised  are.  But  the  apostle  Paul  did  not  think  so.  For 
lie, speaking  to  the  baptised  Galalians,  among  whom  he  fear- 
ed there  were  some  who  were  self-righteous,  Christless  sin- 
ners, he  says,  Gal.  iii.  lO.^ds  many  as  are  of  the  works  of 
the  /aw  arc  undtr  the  curse.  "  As  many,"  be  they  circum- 
cised, and  baptised  too,  "  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law," 
as  depend  on  their  own  works  lor  justification  in  the  sight  of 
God,  "  are  under  the  curse,"  even  they  are  under  the  cursr ; 
for  it  is  writen,  Cursed  is  every  one,  &c.  But  if  baptism  deli- 
vers men  from  the  covenant  of  works,  they  cannot  any  one  of 


DIALOGUE    IV.  443 

them  be  under  its  curse.  For  no  man  is  liable  to  the  curse 
of  a  law  which  he  is  not  under.  Besides,  in  this  apostle's 
view  of  things,  it  was  peculiar  to  true  believers  to  be  really 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  not  under  the  law  as  a  cove- 
nant of  works.  Rom.  vi.  14.  For  sin  shall  not  hart  domin- 
ion over  you,Jor  yt  are  not  under  law,  but  under  grace.  For, 
according  to  this  scheme  of  religion,  every  soul  is  either  mar- 
ried to  the  lav: ;  and  these  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death  ;  or 
married  to  Christ ;  and  these  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God. 
(chap,  vii.)  Wherefore,  know  assuredly,  that  your  baptism, 
although  it  increases  your  obligations,  and  so  enhances  your 
guilt ;  yet  it  alone  gives  you  not  the  least  right  to  any  one  of 
the  peculiar  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  so  as  at  all  to 
exempt  you  from  the  curse  of  the  law  ;  but  you  are  now,  this 
moment,  in  fact,  as  liable  to  be  struck  dead  and  sent  to  hell, 
by  the  divine  justice,  as  any  unbaptised  sinner  in  the  land. 
And  should  you  die  in  the  state  you  are  now  in,  you  would 
most  certainly  be  damned  along  with  the  unbaptised  heathen  : 
only  your  hell  would  be  hotter  than  theirs.  Mat.  xi.  £0 — 
24.  For  ifthou  be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision  is 
made  uncircumcision.  Rom.  ii.  25. Wherefore  I  advise 

you. 

First  of  all,  immediately  to  repent  of  your  sins,  and  return, 
to  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  looking  only  to  free  grace 
through  him  for  pardon  and  eternal  life.  For  I  testify  unto 
you,  that  if  you  trust  in  your  baptism  to  recommend  you  to 
God,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing.  Gal.  v.  2.  Where- 
fore, give  up  this,  and  all  your  other  self-righteous  claims, 
and  apply  to  the  mere,  pure  free  grace  of  God,  through  Jesus 
Christ,  as  all  your  hope  For,  as  to  acceptance  with  God, 
there  is  no  difference  between  the  circumcised  Jew  and  the 
uncircumcised  Greek,  or  between  the  baptised  nominal  Chris- 
tian and  an  unbaptised  Indian.  Rom.  iii.  22.  If  you  will 
thus  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel,  and  in  this  way,  not  in 
falsehood,  but  in  truth,  "  avouch  the  Lord  Jehovah  to  be 
your  sovereign  Lord  and  supreme  good,  through  Jesus  Christ," 
you  shall,  in  fact,  have  your  choide,  that  is,  have  God  for 
your  God  and  portion  in  time  and  eternity.  This,  my  dear 
Parishioner,  this  is  the  way  to  take  upon  you  your  baptismal 


444  THE  HALF-WAY 'COVENANT. 

covenant,  and  to  get  delivered  from  the  curse  of  the  cove~ 
nant  of  works,  and  to  enter  into  the  covenant  of  grace,  in 
reality  and  in  truth.  This  therefore  do  without  delay.  And 
having  done  this,  then  make  a  public  profession  of  religion, 
and  join  yourself  to  God's  people,  and  bring  your  dear  child 
and  dedicate  it  to  the  same  God  to  whom  you  have  dedicat- 
ed yourself.  And  let  it  be  the  business  of  your  life  to  bring 
up  that,  and  your  other  children,  in  the.  nurture  and  admoni- 
tion of  the  Lord. 

And  now,  as  you  travel  through  the  country,  for  1  under- 
stand you  are  become  a  great  traveller,  and  gain  admittance 
into  all  companies,  and  among  men  of  all  denominations  and 
character,  1  advise  you  to  use  your  utmost  influence  to  dif- 
fuse a  friendly  spirit  every  where,  among  all  your  acquaint- 
ance, in  this  controversy.  Particularly,  urge  it  upon  parish- 
ioners of  your  acquaintance,  to  treat  their  ministers  in  a  re- 
spectful manner,  while  they  apply  to  them  for  light  and  in- 
struction, or  when  they  undertake  to  dispute  these  points  with 
them  ;  especially,  wherever  your  influence  extends,  let  no  man 
on  our  side  of  the  question,  treat  his  minister  ill  because  he 
is  in  the  opposite  scheme.  It  is  not  manly,  it  is  not  Christian- 
like,  it  is  not  prudent,  to  do  it.  For  there  is  no  way  to  pro- 
mote truth  so  effectually,  as  to  hold  forth  light  in  love  ;  and 
to  treat  your  opponents  in  a  kind  and  friendly  manner.  For 
my  part,  I  have  an  high  esteem  for  many  in  the  ministry, 
who  differ  in  their  practice  in  the  admission  of  personstosealing 
ordinances  for  themselves  and  for  their  children,  from  what 
1  think  is  right.  For  it  is  a  controversy  which  has  not  been 
attended  to,  nor  is  it  an  easy  thing,  at  once,  to  get  rid  of  the 
prejudices  of  education,  and  in  the  face  of  a  frowning  wovld 
to  espouse  the  true  Scripture  plan.  I  have  great  hopes,  how- 
ever, that  ere  long  we  shall  think  and  act  nearer  alike,  when 
there  has  been  sufficient  time  to  understand  one  another,  to 
weigh  and  deliberate,  to  get  rid  of  the  prejudices  of  educa- 
tion, 8cc.  &c.  In  the  mean  time,  I  most  earnestly  desire, 
that  the  controversy  may  be  carried  on,  in  the  most  open, 
fair,  honest,  cool,  calm,  friendly  manner  possible. 

Who  this  letter-writer  is,  is  not  known  by  the  public,  as 
he  has  secreted  his  name.  And  whether  it  was  with  design, 


I.IAI.OOI  E  i\ .  445 

or  through  inadvertance,  that  he  hath  given  up  the  doctrine 
of  total  depravity,  as  held  forth  in  Scripture  and  in  our  pub- 
lic formulas,  I  shall  not  determine.  Perhaps,  on  second 
thoughts,  he  will  retract  every  thing  he  hath  said,  which 
hath  that  aspect.  I  wish  he  may.  But  if  it  should  come  to 
pass,  as  I  fear  it  will,  that  in  the  course  of  this  controversy, 
numbers  should  openly  fall  off  to  the  Arminian  scheme,  in 
order  to  defend  their  lux  manner  of  admission  to  sealing  or- 
dinances, I  advise  you,  to  keep  by  you  and  to  spread  every 
where  among  your  acquaintance,  the  Westminster  Confes- 
sion of  Faith,  and  larger  and  shorter  Catechisms:  a  book 
which  will  be  of  excellent  service  to  teach  people  sound  doc- 
trine, and  to  guard  them  against  Arminian  errors. 

To  conclude  :  1  shall  always  retain  a  most  grateful  sense  of 
your  kind  treatment  of  your  minister,  zc/ten  acting  yourself, 
and  be  always  ready  to  do  every  kind  office  in  my  power, 
which  either  you,  or  any  other  of  my  parishioners,  shall  need 
at  my  hands.  1  esteem  it  among  the  great  blessings  of  my 
life,  that  1  live  in  a  parish,  and  among  a  people,  so  well  dis- 
posed to  treat  a  minister  with  that  respect  which  is  due  to  his 
office.  And  1  hope  you  may  never  find  me  wanting  in  any 
instance  of  kind  and  friendly  conduct  towards  you.  I  wish 
you  the  best  of  heaven's  blessings. — My  dear  parishioner, 
Adieu. 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED ; 

OR,    THE 

OBLIGATIONS  TO  EARLY  PIETY, 

AND    THE 

NECESSITY  OF  RENOUNCING  YOUTHFUL  VANITY, 

BEPRESENTED  IN 

A  DISCOURSE  on  Eccles.  xii.  1. 

DELIVERED  AT  STRATFIELD,  OCTOBER  7,  1747. 


Mat.  vii.  13, 14.  Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate  ;  for  wide  is  Ute  gate,  and  broad  is 
the  way,  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat. 
Because  strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  the  way,  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few 
there  he  that  find  it. 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED. 


ECCLESIASTES  xii.   1. 

Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth. 

THERE  are  many  considerations  of  very  great  weight,  to 
awaken  our  mind  to  a  holy  reverence  and  most  sacred  atten- 
tion, when  we  read  or  hear  the  word  of  God.     It  is  the  word 
of  God,  the  infinitely  great  and  glorious  God,  the  supreme 
Lord  and  sovereign  Governor  of  the  whole  world  ;  whose  are 
all  things,  and  whose  roe  are,  and  who  has  a  right  to  command 
us;  the  God  that  angels  fear,  and  to  whose  voice  they  al- 
ways hearken  with  the  deepest  reverence,  esteeming  all  his 
injunctions  most  sacred.     And  besides,  all  that   he  speaks 
to  us  is  calculated  not  only  for  his  own  glory,  but  also  for  our 
best  good.     As  the  kind  Father  of  our  spirits,  in  his  infinite 
wisdom  he  marks  out  that  path  for  us  to  go  in,  which  is  not 
only  right  and  fit  in  itself,  but  also  suited  to  render  us  most 
happy.     His  laws  are  all  holy,  just,  and  good.     And  that  he 
may  reach  our  hearts  the  more  effectually,  he  singles  out 
particular  cases,  and  adapts  himself  to  the  particular  tempers 
and  circumstances  of  the  children  of  men.     He  knows  just 
how  it  is  with  mankind,  how  they  feel,  what  their  hearts  are 
apt  to  be  set  upon,  and  what  their  temptations  and  dangers 
are,  and  how  to  speak  a  word  in  season  to  every  soul.     So  of 
old  he  used  to  deal  with  the  children  of  Isratl :  all  the  na- 
tions round  about  them  were  idolaters,  and  worshipped  their 
godsnnder  some  visible  form.  And  he  knew  what  temptations 
his  people  would  be  under  to  do  as  others  did,  and  conform  to 
the  common  mode.    How  often,  therefore,  and  how  solemnly, 
by  Moses  and  by  the  prophets,  does  he  warn  them  to  beware, 
Jest  at  any  time  they  should  be  led  away  from  the  Lord  their 
God  to  other  gods,  or  to  worship  him  under  some  visible 
form,  as  the  heathen  nations  round  about  did  their  deities. 
So  here  in  our  text,  he  admonishes  persons  in  their  youth* 
VOL.  in.  57 


450  EARLY  PIETY   RECOMMENDED. 

He  knows  the   temper   and  temptations  of  young  people  ; 
how  apt  they  are  to  be  unmindful  of  the  God  that  made  them, 
and  to  forsake  their  own  mercies  to  follow  after  lying  vanities, 
and  run  into  many  foolish  and  hurtful   lusts,  which  drown 
men  in  destruction  and  perdition.     He  sees  them,  he  pities 
them  ;  and  as  the  great  Governor  of  the  world,  and  the  kind 
Father  of  their  spirits,  he  calls  after  them,  reproves  and  warns 
them.     "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call,  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons 
of  men.     Stop  !   hearken  !   consider  !    No  longer  forget  the 
God  that   made   you;  .be  not  unmindful  of  the  hand   that 
formed    you,    and  holds  your  soul    in  life,    nor   delay    any 
longer;  but  REMEMBEU  NOW  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy 
youth."  As  if  he   had  said,  "  I  see  what  your  temper  is,  I 
know  what  your  thoughts  are,  what  your  temptations,  and 
what  your  danger  :  you  are  inclined  to  have  no  sense  of  God 
upon  your  spirit,  to  give  a  loose  to  your  vain  imaginations, 
to  indulge  wanton  affections,  and  put  far  away  all  serious 
thoughts ;  flattering  yourselves  with  vain  hopes  of  a  better 
time  hereafter.     The  world  looks  gay  to  you,  and  your  com- 
panions entice  you  along  :  but  verily  that  road  leads  to  eter- 
nal ruin.     I  see  you,  and  know  the  way  you  take ;   I  pity 
you,  I  call  to  you,  I  warn  you,  I  command  -you,  remember 
thy  Creator  ;  be  mindful  of  God  now,  without  any  further 
delay,  in  the  days  of  thy  youth."     And  should  not  young  peo- 
ple hearken  when  God  thus  speaks  to  them,  and  attend  with 
the  utmost  solemnity  !    Especially,  considering  that  all  this  is 
in  and  through  Jesus  Christ,  the  Mediator.    For  so  bad  were 
we,  and  such  were  our  guilty  circumstances,  that  we  cannot 
in  any  reason  suppose  the  great  and  holy  Governor  of  the 
world  would  have  had  any  tiling  to  do  with  us  in  a  way  of 
mercy,  but  for  the  interposition  of  a  Mediator.     It  would 
have  been  a  reproach  to  the  holy  Majesty  of  heaven  and 
earth,  to  have  ever  spoken  one  kind  word  to  a  guilty  world, 
but  for  the  mediatorial  undertaking  of  his  own  Son.    It  would 
have  been  inconsistent  with  the  honour  of  his  Majesty,  of  his 
holiness  and  justice,  and  sacred  authority  ;  because,  by  our 
apostacy  from  God,  we  were  become  too  bad  to  be  pitied,  too 
bad  to  have  any  mercy  shown  us  ;  so  bad,  that  every  thing  was 
too  good,  for  us,  that  was  better  than  damnation.     Such  was 


EARLY   PIETY  RECOMMENDED.  451 

our  deplorable  case  !  But  the  Son  of  God  has  interposed  as 
Mediator,  to  secure  his  Father's  honour,  and  to  open  a  door 
for  mercy.  He  was  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law  j 
has  obeyed,  suffered,  and  died,  to  make  atonement  for  sin  by 
liis  blood,  and  10  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness.  In  his 
obedient  life  and  death,  the  holiness  and  justice  of  God  have 
received  perfect  satisfaction,  and  the  honour  of  his  law  and 
government  is  secured  ;  that  now  the  great  Governor  of  the 
world  may  show  favour  to  sinners,  and  yet  not  so  much  as 
seem  to  be  a  favourer  of  sin.  Hence  he  has  reprieved  this 
guilty  world  from  ruin,  and  entered  upon  methods  of  grace, 
to  recover  sinners  to  himself.  And-shall  we  not  now  hearken, 
to  any  kind  word  he  speaks,  and  attend  to  every  command 
with  all  our  hearts  ! — O  that  these  thoughts  which  have  been 
suggested,  might  awaken  us  all,  and  particularly  every  youth 
in  the  assembly,  to  attend  with  the  utmost  solemnity  of  mind, 
while  we  take  the  words  of  our  text  into  serious  consideration  ! 
They  are  immediately  spoken  to  you  that  are  in  your  youth, 
and  that  from  God,  the  great  Governor  and  Judge  of  the 
world.  In  this  warning  he  seeks  your  welfare ;  and  it  is  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ,  which  has  purchased  for  you  the 
mercy  of  this  call  from  God.  That  I  may  assist  you  to  dwell 
a  while  upon  these  words  in  serious  thoughts  to  better  advan- 
tage, I  will  observe  this  method  in  the  following  discourse: 

1.  I  will  endeavour  to  show  what  is  implied  in  remember- 
ing God. 

2.  What  obligations  young  people  are  under  to  this. 

.  And, 

*».  Offer  some  directions  and  motives. 

1  am, 

1..  To  show  whai  is  implied  in  remembering  GOD.  And 
in  general,  it  is  a  heart-affecting,  soul-transforming,  vital, 
efficacious  remembrance  of  God,  that  is  here  recommended; 
and  not  any  mere  empty,  dry,  lifeless  notion  of  God  in  the 
head.  It  is  such -a  remembrance  of  God,  or  such  a  sense  of 
God  on  the  heart,  as  effectually  divorces  and  weans  us  from 
all  other  things,  and  influences  us  to  love  him  with  all  our 
hearts,  to  choose  him  for  our  portion,  take  up  our  contentment 
in  him  as  our  AM.,  and  devote  ourselves  to  him,  to  walk  in  all 


452  EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

his  wavs,  and  keep  all  his  commands,  seeking  his  glory  as 
ourend.  For  when  God  requires  us  to  know  him,  tothinkof  him, 
to  acknowledge  him,  or  to  remember  him,  he  always  means, 
as  our  Saviour  more  plainly  expresses  it,  (when  speaking  of 
love  to  God,)  that  it  should  he  with  our  heart,  and  with  our  soul, 
and  with  our  mind,  and  with  our  strength.  And  hence  those 
that  do  not  thus  remember  God,  do  in  Scripture-account  for- 
get the  Lord,  and  God  is  said  to  be  not  in  all  thtir  thoughts: 
yea,  the  Scriptures  carry  the  point  so  far,  as  to  express  it  thus, 
the  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart,  there  is  no  God;  because 
wicked  men  in  their  security,  although  they  are  not  profess-* 
ed  atheists,  yet. they  practically  deny  the  God  that  is  above, 
and  feel  at  hean  as  if  there  was  no  God  ;  for  they  do  not 
worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth  ;  they  do  not  come  to  him 
in  and  by  Christ;  they  do  not  love  him,  nor  fear  him,  nor 
trust  in  him  ;  but  they  feel,  and  act,  and  live,  as  if  in  very  deed 
there  was  no  God  ;  and  hence  they  are  said  to  be  without 
God  in  the  world.  Faith  without  works  is  dead,  snith  St. 
James  :  and  that  remembrance  of  God  which  is. un affecting, 
and  inefficacious,  is  dead,  and  good  for  nothing. 

But  to  be  particular, 

1.  Remembering  God  implies,  that  we  know  him,  that  we 
have  right  apprehensions  of  him,  that  we  see  him  to  be  jn&t 
such  an  one  as  he  is.  For  we  cannot  with  any  propriety  be- 
said  to. remember  that  God,  whom  we  do  not  know  :  and  if 
we  have  wrong  apprehensions  of  God,  though  we  think  of 
him  ever  so  much,  yet  it  is  not  God  that  we  remember,  but 
only  that  false  image  we  have  framed  in  our  own  fancy. 
A  right  remembering  of  God  therefore  supposes,  that  he  who 
commands  the  right  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  shineth  into 
our  hearts,  to  give  us  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glo- 
ry of  God  in  the  face  Q/'  Jesus  Christ;  and  that  we  with  open 
i'ace  behold  as  in  a  glass,  (in  the  glass  or'  his  works  and  of 
liis  word,  of  tke  law  and  of  tTie  Gospel,)  the  glory  of  the  Lord; 
so  as  to  take  in  that  very  representation  of  God  which  lie 
himself  has  made. 

£.    Remembering  of  God  implies,  that  we  have  a  vital 
f>eme  of  God  in  our  hearts  ;  a  realizing,  living  sense  of  his  Bo 
ing  and  perfections,  that  we  see  and  feel  there  is  a  God,  and 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED.  453 

such  an  one  as  he  really  is  :  a  Being  of  infinite  understand- 
ing, and  almighty  power,  of  in-finite  wisdom,  holiness,  justice, 
goodness,  and  truth  ;  and  so  a  being  of  infinite  majesty  and 
greatness,  of  boundless  glory  and  excellency,  absolutely,  wor- 
thy to  be  esteemed,  and  loved,  and  feared,  trusted  in  and 
obeyed,  for  what  he  is  in  himself.  Such  a  sense  of  God  oti 
our  hearts  is  necessarily  implied  in  remembering  of  God  • 
and  seems  indeed  to  be  that  in  which  it  primarily  and  princi- 
pally consists.  To  forget  God,  and  to  be  without  such  a 
sense  of  God  on  our  hearts,  seems  to  be  much  the  same  thine 
in  Scripture-account.  Beware,  says  Moses  to  the  childi-en 
of  Israel,  "  that  thoti  forget  not  the  Lord  thy  God,  when 
thou  hast  eaten,  and  art  full,"  encompassed  about  with  all 
the  good  things  of  this  world;  but  thou  shale  then  remem- 
ber the  Lord  thy  God,  &c»  Deut.  viri.  11  —  18.  As  if  he 
had  said,  "  Innumerable  methods  have  been  taken  with  you 
in  the  wilderness,-  to  beget  in  you  a  sense  of  GOD;  beware 
then  that  you  do  not  lose  this  sense  of  God,  when  you  come 
into  that  good  land,  and  have  plenty  of  all  things."  Then 
tlo  persons  remember  God,  when  they  daily  have  a  living 
sense  of  God  on  their  hearts  ;  a  living  sense  of  his  all-seeing 
eye  and  all-governing  hand,  a  living  sense  of  his  glorious 
moral  excellency  and  infinite  ali-sufticieney.  This  will 
make  the  thoughts  of  God  natural  and  free,  genuine  and  un- 
forced. He  will  become  the  object  of  our  continual  devout 
contemplation.  We  shall  think  of  him  wherever  we  be  ;  at 
home  or  abroad,  in  company  or  alone.  In  the  day-time  our 
hearts  will  be  with  him, .and  in  the  night  season.  On  our 
beds  we  shall  remember  him,  and  when  we  awake  in  the 
morning  we  shall  still  be  with  him.  Having  tasted  that  the 
Lord  if  gracious,  the  Saviour  of  his  grace  will  lie  always  on 
our  spirits,  in  some  degree. 

^>.  Remembering  God,  also  implies  a  sort  of  forgetting  all 
otlrer  things.  It  includes  in  its  idea  a  taking  our  eyes  off 
from  ourselves,  and  losing  a  sense  of  our  own  fancied  excel- 
cies;  a  turning  away  our  eyes  from  beholding  vanity,  a  Ivsing 
sight  of  the  glory  of  this  world,  and  losing  our  relish  for  car- 
nal and  worldly  delights;  ourselves  and  all  things  about  us 
appearing  infinitely  mean  in  our  eyes,  compared  with  God. 


4J4  EARLY   PIETY   RECOM  M  ENTED. 

It  implies  a  hearty  divorce  from  ourselves,  and  from  all  other 
things,  out  of  a  superlative  love  to  God.  Forget  thine  own 
people,  and  thy  Father's  house,  Ps.  xlv.  10.  A  living  sense  of 
God  on  our  hearts  will  naturally  beget  this  spiritual  weaned- 
ness  from  all  other  things.  A  sense  of  his  greatness  and  glo- 
ry will  make  us,  (like  Job,)  to  abhor  ourselves,  and  compara- 
tively to  loath  fife  under  its  highest  temporal  .advantages,  all 
earthly  grandeur  appearing  mean  and  worthless  to  us.  A 
sense  of  God's  infinite  beauty  and  excellency  will  make  all 
the  gay  and  enchanting  things  of  this  world  fade  away  into 
insignificant  and  empty  toys  ;  awd  the  sweetness  there  is  in 
the  enjoyment  of  him,  will  for  ever  spoil  our  relish  for  world- 
ly lusts  and  the  pleasures  of  sin.  So  that  a  due  sente  of  God 
will  effectually  deaden  us  to  all  other  things.  Yea,  zehat 
things  tctre  gain  to  us,  this  will  make  us  to  account  but  loss 
and  dung,  that  we  may  rein  Christ,  and  God  in  him.  This  is 
necessarily  implied  in  remembering  God. 

Surely,  those  cannot  be  said  to  remember  God,  who  are  al- 
ways full  of  themselves,  full  of  a  sense  of  their  own  goodness, 
and  are  dwelling  for  ever  upon  their  own  high  attainments  ; 
ready  al  ways  to  sny,  God,  I  thank  thet,\  I  am  not  as  other  men  ! 
Such  may  be  said  to  remember  their  own  duties,  or  their  own 
experiences  and  good  frames.  But  in  the  Scripture-sense,  God 
is  not  in  all  their  thoughts.  Neither  can  those  be  said  to  re- 
member God,  who  are  full  of  a  sense  of  the  .glory  of  this  pre- 
sent world,  full  of  worldly  views  and  worldly  schemes,  and 
only  seek  after  worldly  and  sensual  enjoyments.  No  man 
can  serve  two  masters,  says  our  Saviour;  ye  cannot  serve  God 
and  Mammon.  Ye  cannot  remember  God,  whilst  your  hearts 
are.  full  of  other  things,  and  entirely  wedded  to  them.  If 
young  people  would  remember  God,  they  must  be  brought  to 
have  just  such  a  temper  of  mind  towards  all  youthful  lusts,  and 
carnal  sports  and  vanities,  as  old  Barzillai  had  towards  the 
entertainments  of  David's  co'urt ;  that  is,  no  relish,  no  heart 
for  them.  "  I  am  this  day,  says  he,  fourscore  years  old. 
And  can  I  discern  between  good  and  evil?  Can  thy  servant 
taste  what  I  eat,  and  what  I  drink  ?  Can  I  hear  any  more 
the  voice  of  singing  men,  or  singing  women  ?  Wherefore  let 
thy  servant,  I  pray  thee,  turn  back  again  ;  that  I  may  die  in 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED.  45J 

my  own  city."  2  Sam.  xix.  34—37.  To  love  youthful  vani- 
ties and  sensual  pleasures,  is  inconsistent  with  remembering 
God.  Whosoever  will  he  a  friend  of  the  world,  is  the  enemy  of 
God,  (James  iv.  4.)  Such  are  they  who  are  /overs  of  pleasure* 
more  than  /overs  of  God.  Persons  of  this  character  cannot 
possibly  he  such  as  remember  God.  The  hearts  of  young 
people  must  therefore  be  divorced  from  all  their  beloved  plea- 
sures and  carnal  merriments  ;  or  else  there  can  never  be  any 
room  for  God  in  their  souls.  Thus  a  remembering  of  God  im- 
plies that  all  other  things  are  set  light  by,  and  are  in  a  sens* 
out  of  mind  and  forgotten.  They  are  in  a  manner  quite  done 
with  ;  the  heart  being  otherwise  taken  up. 

4.  Remembering  God  also  implies,  that  we  choose  him  as 
our  chief  good,  and  are  devoted  to  him,  to  seek  his  glory,  as  our 
last  end.  That  we  bid  adieu  to  all  other  lords  and  lovers, 
and  cleave  to  him  only  as  the  satisfying  portion  of  our  souls. 
That  we  renounce  all  other  masters,  and  become  his  servants 
in  the  very  temper  of  our  hearts,  steadfastly  bent  to  do  his 
will,  to  walk  in  his  ways,  and  keep  all  his  commands  ;  seeking 
his  glory  as  our  supreme  end.  When  we  look  upon  God  as  u 
satisfying  portion,  and  take  contentment  in  him,  as  such  ;  when 
we  look  upon  God  as  a  being' infinitely  worthy,  and  as  such  are 
entirely  devoted  to  him,  accounting  it  the  chief  end  of  man 
to  glorify  God  and  to  enjoy  him  for  ever  ;  then  do  we  remem- 
ber God  in  deed  and  in  truth.  Nor  will  any  thing  short  of 
this  effectually  keep  our  hearts  from  departing  from  God,  and 
growing  unmindful  of  him.  Mat.  vi.  21.  For  ichere  your 
treasure  is,  there  trill  your  heart  be  a/so.  And  a  due  sense  of 
God  on  our  hearts  will  effectually  influence  us  to  choose  him 
and  adhere  to  him.  It  did  so  influence  the  Psalmist,  when 
lie  said,  "Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?  And  there  is 
nothing  on  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee  ?  Thou  art  the 
strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever.  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25, 
26.  It  did  so  influence  the  primitive  Christians,  who  could 
say,  Whether  tee  five,  we  live  to  the  Lord,  or  whether  rce  die, 
we  die  to  the  Lord.  Rom.  xiv.  8.  It  was  a  maxim  wfth  them  in 
those  happy  days,  Whether  they  did  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatever 
they  did,  to  dv  all  to  the  glory  of  God.  1  Cor.  x.  31.  And 


EARLY  PIETY   RECOMMENDED. 

when  God  comes  to  be  truly  remembered  by  us,  to  be  upper- 
most in  our  hearts,  it  will  be  our  maxim  too. 

In  a  word,  this  remembering  God,  implies  in  it  both  the 
principle  and  practice  of  "repentance  towards  God,  and 
faith  towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  a  turning  to  God  from 
all  idols,  to  serve  the  living  and  .true  God,  and  to  wait  for  his 
Son  from  heaven  ;"  a  thorough  conversion  to  God,  and  a 
good  conversation  in  Christ. 

Thus, -remembrance  of  God  supposes,  that  we  know  him, 
that  we  have  right  apprehensions  of  him,  that  we  see  him  to 
be  just  such  an  one  as  he  is;  that  we  have  a  living  sense  of 
God  on  our  hearts;  that  we  become  strangers  and  pilgrims 
On  earth  in  the  temper  of  our  minds,  dead  to  ourselves,  wean- 
ed from  the  ivorld  ;  that  we  look  out  towards  another  and  a 
better  country,  even. an  heavenly,  and  that  we  cleave  to  God 
with  all  our  hearts,  and  are  consecrated  to  him,  to  do  his  will, 
and  seek  his  glory.  And  a  due  remembrance  of  God  will 
make  Christ  precious  to  the  soul,  will  afford  powerful  induce- 
ments to  lire  by. the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  lay  a  foun- 
dation for  all  holy  living.  We  shall  love  to  think  on -his 
name,  to  read  and  hear  his  word,  and  to  keep  it,  to  live  a 
life  of  conformity  to.  him,  an,d  of  communion  with  him.  If 
young  people  remembered  God  as  they  ought,  they  would 
rsteem  "  a  day  in  his  courts  better  than  a  thousand  else- 
^here."  And  one  evening  spent  in  prayer  alone,  would  be 
better  to  them  than  a  thousand  spent  in  vain  company  abroad. 
And  such  children  will  love,. and  honour,  and  obey  their  pa- 
rents, and  be  kind  and  endearing  in  their,  behaviour  to  all. 
Happy  parents,  that  have  such  children  !  And  happy  chil- 
dren, that  thus  remember  their  Creator  in  the  days  of  their 
youth  !  .We  are  now, 

H.  To  consider  the  obligations  that  young  people  are  un- 
der, thus  to  remember  God  their  Creator  in  the  days  of  their 
youth.  And, 

1.    They  are  under  infinite  obligations  to  do  so,  arising 
from  the  consideration  of  what  GOD  is,  ?Vj  HIMSELF.     To  for- 
get and  slight  things,  that  are  mean  and  worthless,  is  no  evil .» 
but  for  children  to  forget  and  slight  their  parents,  especially 
if  they  are  knowing  and  wise,  holy  and  good,  argues  a  very 


EAIILY    PIETY     RECOMMENDED.  437 

bad  temper  of  mind.  Bui  to  forget  and  slight  God,  the  in- 
finitely great  and  glorious  God,  the  glory  of  heaven,  the  joy 
of  angels  and  saints — this  is  infinitely  wicked. 

GOD  is  infinitely  glorious  and  excellent  in  himself,  as  be- 
ing what  he  is,  antecedent  to  any  consideration  of  what  he 
has  done,  or  intends  to  do  for  us.  IJoly  men,  such  as  Mo- 
ses, David,  and  Paul,  are  excellent  and  amiable,  in  being 
zshat  they  arc,  in  having  such  a  holy  temper  of  mind.  An- 
gels and  saints  in  heaven  are  still  more  excellent,  on  the  same 
account.  But  God  is  the  original  infinite  fountain  of  all  per- 
fection and  excellency  :  In  a  word,  he  is  by  nature  GOD. 
Hence,  from  being  conscious  to  his  own  divinity,  from  seeing 
himself  what  he  is,  he  takes  state  to  himself,  asserts  his  ex- 
alted character,  as  he  whose  name  alone  is  JEHOVAH,  the 
living  and  true  God,  saying,  /  am  the  Lord,  and  besides  me 
there  is  no  other  God.  Isai.  xlv.  5.  It  would  be  infinite 
wickedness  for  an  angel  to  set  up  himself  fur  God :  but  this 
conduct  is  infinitely  right,  and  fit,  and  beautiful  in  him,  who 
is  b  nature  God.  And  on  this  ground  he  commands  all  the 
world  to  fear,  love,  and  adore  him :  and  he  esteems  the 
wretch  who  does  not  do  so  with  all  his  heart,  worthy  of  ever- 
lasting damnation.  Infinite  goodness  itself  accounts  the  eter- 
nal torments  of  hell  a  punishment  but  just  equal  to  the  crime. 
How  often  does  he  say,  in  the  five  books  of  Moses,  O  Israel, 
thou  shah  do  thus  and  thus,  FOR  I  AM  THE  LORD  r  Nearly 
twenty  times  is  this  repeated  in  one  chapter,  (Lev.  JQ.)  thus  and 
thus  shall  ye  do,  FOR  I  AM  THE  LORD.  This  is  the  first  thing 
mentioned  in  the  ten  commandments,  Exod.xx.  lamtheLoRD 
THY  GOD,  &c.  which  teaches  us,  that  because  he  is  the  Lord, 
8tc.  therefore  we  are  bound  to  keep  all  his  commandments. 
And  as  our  Saviour  expresseth  it  in  Malt.  xxii.  37.  Thou 
thalt  love  the  Lord  thy  (tod  u'ith  all  thy  heart.  His  being 
the  Lord,  his  being  by  nature  God,  his  being  what  he  is  in 
himself,  is  the  grand  and  primary  foundation  of  his  infinite 
amiableness :  this  ought  therefore  to  be  ihe  grand  and  pri- 
mary foundation  of  our  love  to  him.  And  from  hence  we 
are  under  infinite  obligations  to  love  him  with  all  our  hearts, 
always  to  remember  him,  to  live  under  a  sense  of  his  being 
and  perfections,  to  be  divorced  from  all  other  things,  to 
VOL.  in.  58 


458  EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

choose  him  as  our  ALL,  and  seek  his  glory  as  our  last  end. 
And  it  is  infinitely  wrong  not  to  do  so. 

We  are  under  many  obligations  from  self-love  to  remem- 
ber God,  to  love  him,  and  be  devoted  to  him  ;  for  he  is  our 
Creator,  Preserver,  and  great  Benefactor.  And  besides,  to 
love  him  with  all  our  hearts,  and  seek  his  glory  in  all  we  do,  is 
the  most  delightful  thing  on  earth  ;  it  is  a  pleasure,  near  akin 
to  heaven. 

But  antecedent  to  those,  and  to  all  other  selfish  consider- 
ations whatsoever,  there  is  an  infinite  obligation  lying  upon  us 
to  love  him  with  all  our  hears,  to  remember  him,  to  cleave  to 
him,  and  so  seek  his  glory,  resulting  from  his  being  what  he  is  in 
himself,  his  being  by  nature  God,  the  original  infinite  fountain 
of  all  moral  good  and  moral  excellency.  Whence  to  forget 
him  is  infinitely  wrong,  and  so  justly  deserves  an  infinite  pun- 
ishment. 

If  we  were  tinder  no  obligation  but  what  results  from  self- 
love,  then  the  great  and  the  only  evil  of  sin  would  consist  in 
its  being  contrary  to  our  own  interest  and  happiness  ;  for  there 
is  no  evil  in  sin  but  what  results  from  our  obligations  to  do 
otherwise.  And  if  our  happiness  was  all  that  obliged  us  to 
virtue,  then  there  could  be  no  other  evil  in  vice,  but  its  natur- 
al tendency  to  make  us  miserable  ;  that  is,  there  would  be  no 
evil  in  sin,  as  it  is  against  God  and  contrary  to  the  reason  and 
nature  of  things  ;  but  only  and  merely  as  it  is  against  us,  and 
contrary  to  our  own  interest.  And  hence  sinners  could  be 
considered  by  the  great  Governor  of  the  world  as  being  to 
blame,  in  no  other  respect,  or  upon  no  other  account,  than 
merely  as  doing  what  wrongs  themselves,  and  is  contrary  to 
their  own  interest.  So  much  as  they  hurt  their  own  in- 
terest, so  much  therefore  would  they  be  to  blame,  and 
no  more ;  they  would  be  blameable  merely  for  that,  and 
upon  no.  other  account.  J3ut  it  is  certain,  that  God  thinks 
them  infinitely  to  blame  oter  and  above  all  that,  or  else  he 
would  never  inflict  an  infinite  punishment  upon  them,  over 
and  above  all  the  misery  which  necessarily  results  from  the 
nature  of  vice.  If  there  were  no  evil  in  sin,  but  as  it  is  against 
us,  and  not  as  it  is  against  God,  there  would  be  no  room  nor 
just  ground  for  his  everlasting  wrath,  and  for  the  lake  of  fire 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED. 

and  brimstone,  which  he  has  threatened  to  the  wicked  ;  for 
no  crime  deserves  to  be  punished,  but  only  in  proportion  to 
its  blame-wort  hineK.  But  upon  this  hypothesis,  sin  is  blame- 
worthy, merely  because  of  its  natural  tendency  to  make  u> 
miserable  :  and  therefore,  in  this  view  of  the  case,  sin  can  de- 
serve no  other  punishment,  but  merely  that  misery  which  ne- 
cessarily results  from  us  own  nature.  No  inflicted  misery, 
i.  e.  no  proper  punishment,  is  at  all  deserved. 

But  God  thinks,  that  the  least  sin  deserves  everlasting 
damnation ;  even  the  least  defect  in  our  love,  the  lest  un- 
mindfulness  of  God. — And  why  ?  Because,  being  conscious  to 
his  own  nature  and  infinite  excellency,  he  knows  that  his  in- 
telligent creatures  are  under  infinite  obligations  thence  aris- 
ing, antecedent  to  any  consideration  else  whatsoever,  to  love 
him  with  all  their  hearts,  to  remember  him,  to  have  a  con- 
stant sense  of  him  on  their  spirits,  so  as  to  be  divorced  from 
all  other  things,  and  be  entirely  devoted  to  him*. 

a  If  there  is  an  infinite  moral  excellency  in  the  divine  nature,  upon  the  account 
of  which  he  is  infinitely  amiable,  and  so  we  under  infinite  obligations  to  love  him 
with  all  our  hearts,  antecedent  to  all  selfish  considerations  ;  then  not  to  love  him 
with  all  our  hearts  is  an  infinite  evil,  and  so  deserves  an  infinite  punishment.  And 
upon  this  ground  the  eternity  of  hell  torments  may  he  accounted  for.  But  if 
there  ia  no  such  excellency  in  the  divine  nature  ;  and  if  all  our  obligations  to  love 
and  ohey  him  result  merely  from  self-love,  then  I  think  the  above  argument  con- 
clusive, nor  can/ aee  hov>  the  eternity  of  hell  torments  can  possibly  be  accounted 
for. 

Learned  men,  who  leave  this  excellency  of  the  divine  nature  out  of  their  idea 
•f  i  :od,  seem  to  have  been  aware  of  this  difficulty,  and  they  have  laboured  to 
solve  it ;  but  all  in  vain. 

Some  consider  God  as  the  sovereign  Lord  of  life  and  death,  vested  with  all  pow- 
er and  authority.  And  they  say,  things  are  right  merely  because  he  wills  to  ha>e 
them  so.  But  I  answer,  it  is  impossible  that  he  should  will  the  everlasting  dam- 
nation of  sinners,  if  they  do  not  deserve  it.  Because  that  would  be  to  act  counter 
to  his  own  nature.  See  Gen.  xviii.  25. 

Some  consider  God  as  aiming  at  the  general  good  of  the  whole  system  of  intel- 
ligent creatures,  as  his  last  end.  And  they  say,  that  it  is  for  the  general  good  of 
the  whole,  that  the  wicked  should  be  everlastingly  tormented  in  hell ;  because  snch 
severity  will  tend  to  confirm  the  rest  in  everlasting  obedience.  But  I  answer,  if 
the  wicked  do  not  in  justice  deserve  the  eternal  torments  of  hell,  their  being  so  treat- 
ed will  rather  tend  to  dishonour  God  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  angels  and  saints  in  hea- 
ven, and  tempt  them  to  cast  off  their  allegiance  to  him,  to  flee  from  his  presence, 
iind  conceive  a  hatred  of  him,  just  as  we  naturally  detest  a  merciless  and  cruel 
tyrant  And  besides,  God,  who  has'forbid  us  to  rfo  rrjV  that  good  nay  come,  most 
•ertainlv  will  not  do  this  himself 


4(>0  EARLY     PILIY    RECOMMENDED. 

I  have  insisted  upon  this  the  longer,  because  many  seem  to 
leave  this  moral  excellency  of  the  divine  nature  out  of  their 
idea  of  God;  and  consider  him  only  as  the  author  of  their 
happiness,  as  one  disposed  to  exert  his  infinite  wisdom  and  al- 
mighty power  to  promote  their  best  good,  and  only  as  such  do 
they  love  him  :  and  so  all  their  love  to  God  is  nothing  but 
self-love,  in  another  shape.  And  consequently,  all  their  re- 
ligion is  vain,  a  mere  selfish  thing  ;  a  religion  that  God  ne- 
ver meant,  that  the  law  never  required,  and  that  the  Gospel 
never  taught. 

We  will  suppose,  there  is  a  man,  who  formerly  was  greatly 
awakened,  and  trembled  lor  fear  of  divine  wrath  ;  but  since 
then,  he  has  had  his  heart  full  of  love  to  God  and  Christ,  and 
now  doubts  not  he  is  going  to  heaven.  But  whence  did  this 
man's  love  to  God  and  Christ  first  take  its  rise?  Why,  he  had 
it  discovered  to  him,  (as  he  thought,)  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 

Again,  some  seem  to  suppose,  that  there  will  be  no  proper  punishment  inflicted 
upon  the  damned  in  hell ;  that  they  will  have  no  other  torment  but  what  necessa- 
rily results  from  the  nature  of  vice  ;  that  they  will  be  a  torment  to  themselves, 
but  shall  have  no  additional  punishment.  But,  I  answer,  this  notion  is  directly 
contrary  to  all  the  New  Testament,  which  every  where  sets  the  case  in  a  very 
different  light.  Everlasting1  punishment,  the  damnation  of  hell,  a  lake  of  fire 
and  brimstone,  the  indignation  and  wrath  of  God,  &c.  are  constantly  threatened 
to  the  wicked.  And  particularly,  God  is  said  to  show  his  -wrath  and  make  his 
power  knoion  in  their  destruction.  Rom.  ix.  22.  All  which  phrases  evidently  de- 
note a  proper  inflicted  punishment. 

Others  have  taken  another  course,  and  have  ventured  even  to  deny  the  eternity 
of  hell  torments.  But  they  may  as  reasonably,  and  had  as  good,  deny  the  Scrip- 
tures to  be  the  teord  of  God.  For  nothing  can  be  more  plainly  and  fully  as- 
serted. Their  -worm  shall  not  die,  their  fre  shall  never  be  quenched,  the  smoke 
of  their  torments  shall  ascend  for  ever  and  ever,  8cc.  &c.  without  the  least  hint, 
that  such  phrases  are  not  to  be  understood  in  their  most  natural  sense,  as  denot- 
ing the  infinite  duration  of  their  punishment. 

So  that  the  eternity  of  hell-torments  cannot  be  denied  ;  nor  can  this  be  ac- 
counted for  upon  the  hypothesis,  That  all  our  obligations  to  love  and  obey  God  re- 
fult  merely  from  self-love.  And  yet  if  the  moral  excellency  of  the  divine  nature 
be  granted,  and  our  infinite  obligations,  thence  arising,  to  love  him  with  all  our 
hearts,  antecedent  to  any  selfish  consideration,  then  surely  the  Arminian  and  An- 
tinomian  schemes  of  religion  must  both  be  false.  For  upon  the  principles  of 
either  of  these  schemes,  all  religion  results  merely  from  self-love ;  nor  do  they  seem 
to  have  any  just  notion  of  the  moral  excellency  of  the  divine  nature,  or  of  our  in- 
finite obligations  to  love  and  obedience  thence  arising.  If  the  reader  desires  to 
see  more  upon  this  subject,  let  him  read  Mr.  EDWARDS  upon  Religious  -ijjcc- 
t:ons,-(rnm  page  134  to  page  182. 


EARLY  PIETY   RECOMMENDED.  46l 

that  his  sins  were  pardoned,  or  that  he  was  elected,  or  that 
Christ  died  for  him,  or  that  God  loved  him,  or  that  Christ 
loved  him,  and  he  was  assured  of  eternal  life.  And  so  he 
\vas  filled  full  of  love,  and  rapturous  joy  :  just  as  the  graceless 
Israelites  were  filled  at  the  side  of  the  Red  sea,  when  they 
saw  Pharaoh  and  his  army  drowned,  and  themselves  deliver- 
ed. And  now  this  man  admires  God,  and  magnifies  Christ ; 
but  still  all  is,  at  bottom,  merely  from  self-love.  There  is  no 
more  true  grace  in  his  heart  now,  than  there  was  before. 
And  when  such  an  one  comes  to  find  out,  after  death,  what 
God  is,  and  how  he  always  looked  upon  him,  and  when  he 
hears  that  sentence,  Depart  from  me,  I  never  knew  you,  he 
will  then  find  his  love  turn  into  hatred  ;  will  hate  God  with 
all  his  heart,  and  blaspheme  his  name  for  ever.  Such  an  one 
does  not  love  God  at  all,  for  what  he  i*  in  himself,  or  on  the 
account  of  that  in  which  his  infinite  amiableness  truly  con- 
sists :  but  false  apprehensions  of  God  are  the  ground  of  his 
love.  He  only  loves  a  fake  image  of  God,  formed  in  his 
own  fancy.  But  as  for  J  EHOVAH,  the  God  of  Israel,  the  man 
neither  knows  nor  cares  for  him.  See  2  Cor.  xi.  14.  Matth. 
xiii.  25.  39- 

And  there  is  another  man,  we  will  suppose,  who  is  a 
great  enemy  to  all  spiritual  experiences;  but  who,  as  he 
thinks,  loves  God  sincerely,  yea,  has  always  loved  God,  and 
imagines  it  is  in  a  measure  natural  to  him  to  love  God.  But 
why  does  he  love  God  ?  and  what  a  God  is  it  that  he  loves  ? 
Truly,  it  is  the  God  that  loves  him,  and  loves  all  mankind, 
and  is  heartily  engaged  to  make  all  his  creatures  happy,  as 
his  ultimate  end.  And  who,  (says  he,)  can  help  loving  so 
good  and  kind  a  Being?  And  besides,  if  I  goon  to  love 
him  as  well  as  ever  I  can,  he  has  assured  me  of  his  final  fa- 
vour and  eternal  life.  And  thus,  he  also  having  framed  a 
god  in  his  own  imagination,  to  suit  his  humour,  he  now  idolr 
izes  the  image  which  he  has  set  up.  This  man  seems  to  have 
no  just  notion  of  the  infinite  holiness,  and  justice  of  the  divine 
nature,  and  his  infinite  excellency  on  that  account ;  but  fan- 
cies within  himself  a  God  all  made  up  of  mere  goodness  and 
love  :  and  it  is  natural  to  him  to  love  such  a  kind  and  bene- 
volent Being ;  self-love  prompts  him  to  it.  Only  false  ap- 


462  EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

prehensions  of  God  are  the  ground  of  his  love.  The  Holy 
One  of  Israel,  instead  of  making  the  happiness  of  a  worm  of 
the  dust  his  ultimate  end,  values  the  honour  of  his  moral  per- 
fections above  the  happiness  of  all  worlds.  And  wjien  self- 
deceived  sinners  come  to  be  in  hell,  they  will  know,  that 
God  does  not  aim  at  their  happiness  as  his  ultimate  end,  but 
that  the  honour  of  his  own  name,  which  is  holy  and  reverend, 
is  infinitely  dearer  to  him.  And  then  their  pretended  love 
to  God  will  die  away,  and  all  come  to  nothing;  then  they 
will  feel  themselves  haters  oj  God,  and  turn  everlasting  blas- 
phemers of  him.  While  the  whole  host  of  heaven  will  still 
cleave  to  him,  and  love  and  praise  him,  for  that  wherein  his 
most  amiable  beauty  consists,  even  the  infinite  excellency  of 
his  moral  per/tctions.  See  Isai.  vi.  3.  Rev.  iv.  8.  and  chap. 
xix.  1 — 6. 

Now,  on  the  account  of  this  original,  undented,  immense, 
moral  dignity  and  glory  of  the  divine  nature,  are  all  mankind 
under  infinite  obligations  to  fear  and  love  God,  to  remember 
their  Creator,  and  so  to  esteem  him,  as  to  renounce  all  other 
things,  and  cleave  to  him  only  with  all  their  hearts,  and 
be  for  ever  entirely  devoted  to  him.  On  this  account,  pri- 
marily and  first  of  all,  antecedently  to  all  other  considera- 
tions, are  young  people  under  infinite  obligations  to  remem- 
ber now  their  Creator  in  the  days  of  their  youth. 

If  GOD  be  not  considered  as  being  what  he  is,  all  other 
considerations  put  together  would  not  make  it  half  so  wicked 
a  thing  to  forget  the  Lord.  But  under  that  view  of  him,  it 
appears  a  conduct  utterly  inexcusable,  altogether  intolerable, 
infinitely  viie.  Every  moment's  unmindfulness  of  God  me- 
rits the  eternal  torments  of  hell.  It  is  really  so  ;  for  God 
would  never  threaten  everlasting  damnation  for  the  least  sin, 
if  the  least  sin  did  not  really  deserve  it :  since  there  can  be 
nothing  like  tyranny  in  his  government,  or  cruelty  in  his  na- 
ture. It  is  worse,  it  is  infinitely  worse,  O  young  people,  to 
be  unmindful  of  God,  than  you  are  wont  to  imagine  !  It  is  so 
heinous  and  provoking  an  evil,  that  the  kindest  angel  in  hea- 
ven could  not  find  in  his  heart  to  bear  with  you  one  hour, 
were  he  able  to  see  this  sin  fully  in  the  same  light  that  God 
does.  It  is  infinitely  wicked  ;  and  so  too  much  for  any  but 
infinite  patience  to  bear  with.  Think  of  it,  O  young  man1. 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED.  46* 

Think  of  it,  O  young  woman  !  And  tremble  to  see  what  the 
frame  of  your  heart  has  been!  Be  ashamed  of  all  your  past 
forgetful  ness  of  God  :  and  remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the 
Jays  of  thy  youth. 

2.  If  young  people  seriously  consider  what  they  themselves 
are,  their  obligation  to  remember  God  in  their  youth,  will  fur- 
ther appear.  Young  people  are  under  exceeding  great  obli- 
gations, to  have  a  sense  of  God  on  their  hearts,  to  sit  loose 
to  all  other  things,  to  cleave  to  the  Lord,  and  be  entirely  de- 
voted to  him,  arising  from  the  consideration  of  their  being 
what  they  be,  i.  e.  rational  creatures,  born  to  an  endless  ex- 
istence, and  capable,  by  divine  grace,  to  know  and  love  God, 
und  be  everlastingly  blessed  in  the  enjoyment  of  him.  Had 
they  nothing  beyond  a  mortal  brutal  nature,  they  might  live 
as  the  beasts  do;  never  think  of  God,  delight  only  in  animal 
pleasures,  spend  their  days  in  wantonness  and  all  carnal  sports 
and  pastimes  :  But  in  the  reason  of  things,  it  is  entirely  unfit 
for  human  creatures,  that  have  immortal  spirits,  to  do  so. 
The  same  minds  which  are  taken  up  with  a  thousand  fool- 
ish vanities,  might  be  employed  in  contemplating  the  infi- 
nitely glorious  God,  his  works,  and  his  word.  The  same 
hearts,  which  are  wedded  to  the  world  and  the  flesh,  capti- 
vated with  the  objects  of  sense,  and  carried  out  after  mean, 
sordid,  and  brutal  pleasures,  might  be  full  of  divine  light  and 
life,  of  love  to  God,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  hours 
that  are  spent  in  vain  company,  might  be  spent  in  commu- 
nion with  God.  The  same  time  that  is  spent  in  fitting  them- 
selves for  an  eternal  hell,  might  be  spent  in  preparing  for  an 
eternal  heaven.  And  for  rational  creatures  thus  to  abuse 
themselves  by  serving  divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  is  to  degrade 
their  own  nature,  to  despise  their  own  souls,  and  to  affront 
the  God  that  made  them  of  an  order  of  beings  superior  to 
the  beasts  that  perish.  They  are  rational  agents  by  creation, 
but  they  practically  choose  to  be  beasts.  They  are  capable 
of  being  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature  and  of  divine 
pleasures,  but  they  prefer  the  brutal  nature,  and  brutal  plea- 
sures. And  is  not  this  infinitely  absurd,  and  infinitely  wick- 
ed !  Surely,  since  they  have  souls,  and  are  rational  creatures, 
they  ought  to  aspire  after  the  knowledge  and  enjoyment  of 


404  BAtttY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

GOD  ;  of  GOD,  the  proper  center  of  every  intelligent  being. 
If  they  would  show  themselves  men,  they  ought  to  remember 
GOD  their  Creator  in  the  days  of  their  youth. 

3.  Their  obligations  to  remember  God  will  appear  still 
greater,  if  it  be  considered,  "  what  an  original,  underiverl, 
entire  right,  he  has  to  them,  as  the  work  of  his  hands,  and 
the  care  of  his  constant  providence." 

Were  they  perfectly  their  own,  then  if  they  did  throw 
away  themselves,  it  would  not  be  so  bad.  But  they  are  not 
their  own,  they  are  the  Lord's,  they  are  his  entirely.  Him, 
therefore,  they  are  bound  to  acknowledge  and  remember : 
his  must  they  be  in  the  very  temper  and  bent  of  their  minds  ; 
to  him  must  they  live,  and  not  to  themselves. 

GOD  is  absolutely  the  first  Being,  self-existent  and  inde- 
pendent, the  original  fountain  of  all  being,  the  author  and 
preserver  of  all  things  that  are.  He  it  is  that  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  ;  and  all  things  therein  are  the  work 
of  his  hands:  He  is  the  great  Father  of  the  whole  universe. 
But  for  him  these  things  would  never  have  been  ;  and  but 
for  him,  they  would  cease  to  be.  Now  since  they  do  thus 
exist  of  his  mere  good  pleasure,  and  as  the  effects  of  his  al- 
mighty power,  surely  he  has  an  absolute  property  in  them  ; 
he  has  an  original,  tinderived,  entire  right  to  all  things;  his 
they  are  :  and  it  is  fit,  infinitely  fit  and  reasonable,  therefore, 
that  all  things  should  be  for  him,  and  that  he  should  receive 
a  revenue  of  glory  from  all.  Hence  the  heavenly  hosts  fall 
down  before  him,  and  cast  their  crowns  before  his  throne, 
and  worship  him  as  the  Lord  of  all,  saying,  "  Thou  art 
worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honour,  and  power; 
for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are 
and  were  created."  Rev.  iv.  10,11.  And  si  nee  young  peo- 
ple, in  common  with  all  other  created  beings,  are  thus  entire- 
ly the  Lord's,  it  is  infinitely  fit  that  they  should  know  arid 
feel  this  to  be  the  case,  in  the  very  bottom  of  their  hearts ; 
and  from  a"  deep  sense  of  this,  be  influenced  to  remember 
God,  and  give  up  themselves  to  be  his ;  his  in  a  peculiar 
sense. 

Parents  have  a  kind  of  right  to  their  children ;  they  call 
hem  their  own,  and  look  upon  them  in  a  measure  at  their 


EARLY   PIETY   RECOMMENDED. 

disposal,  and  under  their  authority.  And  children  ought  to 
feel  their  parents'  interest  in  them,  to  own  themselves  in  some 
sense  theirs,  and  at  their  disposal,  and  to  be  devoted  to  please 
and  honour  them,  and  do  their  will.  But  the  parents'  right  is 
only  a  secondary,  derived,  and  partial  right :  their  children 
are  the  Lord's  originally,  and  only  lent  to  them  ;  they  are  the 
Lord's  by  an  underived,  supreme,  absolute,  and  entire  right. 
He  made  them,  his  hands  formed  them,  he  is  the  Father  of 
their  spirits,  and  he  holds  their  souls  in  life.  Parents  were 
instrumental  to  their  existence;  but  God  was  ahe  proper 
Author  of  their  being.  Parents  have  been  instrumental  to 
feed  and  clothe  them  ;  but  the  food  and  raiment  were  the 
Lord's,  and  from  him  they  derived  all  their  virtue  to  nourish 
and  cherish  them.  And  the  parents  themselves  were  not 
their  own,  but  the  Lord's,  and  acted  but  in  subordination  to 
him,  and  with  an  entire  dependence  on  his  providence  and 
blessing.  So  that  parents  have,  comparatively,  but  a  small 
claim  to  their  children,  but  an  inferior  interest  in  them  ;  they 
are  not  strictly  their  parents'  property,  but  are  only  lent  to 
them  for  a  while.  Yea,  in  some  sense,  parents  have  no  right 
at  all  to  their  children,  they  are  so  entirely  the  Lord's  still. 
They  are  as  much  the  Lord's  as  if  they  had  been  immediate- 
ly created  out  of  nothing,  and  as  if  they  had  always  received 
all  their  food  and  raiment  immediately  out  of  heaven.  In 
a  word,  they  are  his  by  a  sovereign,  original,  perfect  right. 
And  this  his  entire  right  to  them  is  renewed  every  moment, 
in  virtue  of  his  sustaining  and  preserving  them.  For  in  him 
they  lite,  move,  and  have  their  being.  And  were  it  not  for  his 
providence,  themselves,  and  this  world  and  all  things  in  ir. 
would  instantly  dissolve  and  fall  into  nothing.  Now,  since 
they  are  entirely  the  Lord's  in  fact,  they  ought  also  to  be  en- 
tirely his  in  the  temper  and  disposition  of  their  minds ;  to 
look  on  themselves  as  his,  and  accordingly  to  yield  them- 
selves to  the  Lord,  to  have  no  will  but  his,  and  no  delight  but 
in  pleasing  him.  To  forget  God,  therefore,  and  not  live  to 
him,  but  to  themselves,  is  infinitely  wrong.  With  a  special 
eye  to  this  consideration,  the  words  of  our  text  seem  to  have 
been  spoken  ;  remember  now  thy  Creator,  in  the  days  of  thy 
youth. 

VOL.  n T,  5f) 


EARLY   PIETY   RECOMMENDED. 

4.  Young  people  are  under  infinite  obligations  to  remem- 
ber now  their  Creator  in  the  (lays  or'  their  youth,  arising  from 
the  consideration  of  the  authority  of  God,  the  great  Governor 
oj  the  rforld,  who  enjoins  this  upon  them  as  their  indispensable 
duty.  Since  God  is,  what  he  is,  and  since  he  has  made  and 
does  preserve  all  things  ;  it  is  fit,  infinitely  fit,  that  he  should 
sustain  the  character  of  supreme  Lord  and  sovereign  Governor 
of  the  TZ hole  world ;  and  it  is  infinitely  fir,  that  all  his  intelli- 
gent creatures  should  have  a  most  sacred  regard  to  his  autho- 
rity. When  therefore  he  enjoins  any  thing  upon  angels  or 
men,  they  are  under  infinite  obligations  to  the  most  ready  and 
perfect  obedience.  But  God,  the  great  Governor  of  the  world, 
does  with  all  his  authority  command  young  people  to  remem- 
ber now  their  Creator  in  the  days  of  their  youth, 

He  is,  infinitely  glorious  in  himself,  and  so  infinitely  wor- 
thy of  their  highest  esteem.  And  it  is  therefore  infinitely  fit 
that  all  thdir  powers  should  be  exerted  in  contemplating  and 
loving  God,  the  best  of  beings,  and  the  proper  object  of  their 
happiness.  And  besides,  they  are  the  Lord's ;  they  are  not 
their  own,  they  entirely  belong  to  him  ;  and  so  it  is  infinitely 
fit  that  they  should  be  his,  in  the  temper  and  bent  of  their 
minds  entirely  devoted  to  him. 

But  the  great  Governor  of  the  world  looks  down  and  sees 
they  are  naturally  disposed  to  have  no  regard  to  the  reason  of 
things,  to  what  is  right  and  fit,  and  suited  to  make  them  hap- 
py. He  sees  them,  he  knows  their  hearts,  he  abhors  their 
unholy  unreasonable  temper,  and  pities  poor  creatures  run- 
ning to  ruin.  With  the  authority  and  compassion  of  a  God, 
he  calls  aloud  to  the  young  person  in  particular,  Remember 
now  thy  Creator  in  the  day*  of  thy  youth* 

And  for  them  to  tread  under  foot  the  rightful  authority  of 
such  a  God,  whom  all  in  heaven  reverence  and  fear,  love  and 
obey ;  and  to  break  such  a  law,  so  reasonable  in  itself,  and  so 
well  suited  to  their  welfare,  is1)ig  with  rebellion  ;  it  argues  high 
contempt  of  the  Majesty  of  heaven,  and  the  greatest  folly 
and  madness. 

If  one  should  pretend  to  command  them,  who  had  no  right 
to  them,  nor  authority  over  them  ;  they  might  reasonably  feel 
themselves  at  liberty,  his  command  notwithstanding.  Bat 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED.  467 

if  their  parents  command  them  to  do  what  is  right  and  fit, 
they   are   no   longer  at  liberty  ;  they  are  obliged  to  obey. 
Much  more  when  God  commands  them  ;  the  infinitely  great 
and  glorious  God,  the  great  Governor  of  the  whole  world, 
whose  they  are ;  their  obligations  to  obedience  now  are  in 
proportion  to  the  dignity  and    authority  of  him   who  com- 
mands; i.  e.  they  are 'infinite.     And  they  are  so  far  from 
being  left  at  liberty,  that  they  are  bound  and  obliged  by  all 
the  authority  of  heaven  to  do  what  is  enjoined.     And  there  is 
no  other  way  now  by  which  they  can  proceed  in  a  course  of 
disobedience,  but  to  lift  up  themselves  above  God,  and  set  up 
their  wills  above  his,  and  despise  his  authority,  and  bid  defi- 
ance to  his  vindictive  justice.     And  surely  this  is  a  terrible 
course  for  a  worm  of  the  dust  to  venture  upon,  who  is  every 
moment  in  the  hands  of  God,  and  liable  by  his  resistless  pow- 
er to  be  crushed  to  hell  in  an  instant.     Think  of  this,  O 
young  man  ;  think  of  this,  O  young  woman,  tfnd  tremble  to 
see  what  the  frame  of  your  heart  has  been;  and  hearken  to 
the  voice  of  God,  and  remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days 
of  thy  youth  ! 

5.  Young  people  are  under  infinite  obligations  to  remem- 
ber now  their  Creator  in  the  days  of  their  youth,  arising  from 
the  consideration  of  "  the  undertaking!  death,  and  sufferings 
of  JESUS  CHRIST,  the  great  Mediator,  and  of  the  tenders  of 
pardon  and  eternal  life,  that  are  made  to  a  guilty  undone 
world  through  him." 

Mankind  had  apostatized  from  God,  forgotten  him,  lost  a 
sense  of  his  glory,  and  plunged  themselves  into  a  state  of  sin 
and  misery,  out  of  which  they  could  by  no  means  recover 
themselves.  They  lay  in  the  open  field,  pulluted  and  perish- 
ing in  their  blood  and  guilt;  without  any  eye  to  pity,  or  arm 
to  save  ;  self-ruined,  self-destroyed  !  And  when  this  was  the 
case,  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begot- 
ten Son,  that  whosoever  believes  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life.  He  set  him  forth  to  be  a  propitiation 
ihrough  faith  in  his  bkx>d,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for 
the  remission  of  sin,  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  jusiifier  of 
him  which  believeth  in  Jesus."  And  now  God  is  in  And 
through  him  reconciling  the  world  to  himself.  All  are  invited 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

and  called  upon  and  commanded  to  repent  and  be  converted, 
to  change  their  minds,  and  turn  to  the  Lord,  and  give  up 
themselves  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  God  is  reconcile- 
able,  and  is  using  means  actually  to  reconcile  the  world  to 
himself.  And  this  being  the  case,  we  are  all  under  new  obli- 
gations to  bethink  ourselves,  and  remember  God,  whom  we 
have  forgotten  and  forsaken,  and  return  and  give  up  ourselves 
to  him  through  Jesus  Christ.  Now  for  young  people,  after 
all  this,  to 'remain  unmindful  of  God,  and  go  on  in  the  ways 
of  vanity  and  sin,  is  aggravatedly  vile.  They  despise  tlit: 
kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour,  and  show  themselves 
obstinate,  in  their  aversion  to  him.  They  cast  contempt  upon 
the  dying  love  of  Christ,  tread  under  foot  his  blood,  and  un- 
dervalue and  slight  all  his  grace.  This  is  to  be  in  a  dreadful 
degree  evil  and  unthankful.  • 

6.  They  are  under  great  obligations  to  early  piety,  arising 
from  their  having  been,  in  their  infancy,  dedicated  to  God  in 
baptism, 

Baptism  is  not  the  instituted  means  of  regeneration,  as 
some  pretend  ;  nor  do  we  see  arry  such  effect  usually  follow- 
ing upon  it.  But  baptism  signifies  our  engagement  to  be  the 
Lord's,  and  lays  us  under  obligations  to  be  his.  Young  peo- 
ple, your  parents,  when  they  made  a  profession  of  religion, 
gave  themselves  and  all  they  had,  or  ever  should  have,  to 
the  Lord  \  so  that  you  were  virtually  given  to  God  before 
you  were  born.  And  as  soon  as  you  were  born,  they  brought 
you  in  their  arms,  and  presented  you  before  God  and  his  peo- 
ple, and  by  their  practice  implicitly  said,  "  whereas  hereto- 
fore, when  we  made  a  profession  of  religion,  we  gave  our- 
selves and  all  we  had,  or  ever  should  have,  to  the  Lord; 
and  whereas  God  has  now  given  us  this  child,  we  now  come 
and  present  ourselves  and  our  child  before  God  and  his  peo- 
ple, that  we  may  dedicate  it^to  God  in  baptism,  according  to 
divine  appointment :  and  we  do  hereby  lay  our  child  under 
the  strongest  bonds  we  can  to  the  Lord,  and  enter  into  cove- 
nant to  bring  it  up  in  his  fear :  we  put  our  child  also  under 
the  care  and  watch  of  the  church,  that  they  may  stand  en- 
gaged for  its  good  education.  And  all  this  to  the  intent  our 
child  may  be  preserved  from  the  ways  of  vanity  and  sin,  and 


EARLY    PIETY    HECOMMENDED. 

be  trained  up  for  God."  And  hereupon  in  solemn  prayer 
the  case  was  spread  before  the  Lord,  and  then  you  was  bap* 
tised  in  the  name  of  the  Father r  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost:  and  so  consecrated  to  the  living  God. 

Remember  the  solemn  season,  O  parents,  when  you  did 
thus  dedicate  your  children  to  the  Lord.  And  know  it,  Me 
vows  of  God  are  upon  you,  and  see  to  it  you  be  faithful. — - 
Their  blood  will  be  required  at  your  hands,  if  they  perish 
through  your  neglect :  and  God  will  treat  you  as  covenant* 
breakers.  Have  you  told  them  how  you  gave  them  to  the 
Lord  ;  and  what  obligations  they  are  under  to  be  his  ?  Have 
you  often  taken  them  alone,  and  with  tears,  tenderness,  and 
love,  laboured  to  impress  the  great  things  of  God  and  relii- 
gion  upon  their  hearts?  Have  you  taught  them  to  pray  in  se- 
cret, to  seek  God  while  they  are  young ;  and  by  pious  coun- 
sels and  good  examples,  been  labouring  every  day  to  train 
them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord  ?  Remem- 
ber, this  is  your  duty,  and  thus  did  you  covenant  and  promise 
to  do,  before  God,  angels,  and  men  ! 

And  to  this  church  of  Christ,  sufferjne  also  just  to  say,  all 
baptised  persons  are  under  your  -watch  and  care ;  and  you 
stand  bound  in  the  sight  of  God  for  their  good  education. 
You  are  Christ's  professed  friends,  and  are  the  Lord's  visible 
family  in  this  place;  and  therefore  all  the  children  are  put 
under  your  care,  that  they  may  be  brought  up  for  God.  If 
parents  be  not  faithful,  it  belongs  to  ycfu  to  call  them  to  an 
account.  If  children  run  in  riot,  it  is  your  business-to  do  all 
that  in  you  lies  to  reform  them.  Christ  has  belrusted  this 
with  you;  and  expects  your  fidelity.  Let  me  therefore  be- 
teech  you,  for  Christ's  sake,  for  your  own  sakes,  and  for  the 
sake  of  tjie  rising  generation,  that  with,  one  heart,  and  with 
one  soul,  you  would  exert  yourselves  to  the  utmost,  to  en*- 
courage  and  promote  good  family  government,  and  the  pious 
education  of  children.  If  any  church  neglects  their  dut}%  in 
this  matter,  it  will  bring  much  guill  upon  them,  as  covenant- 
breakers;  and  the  blood  of  perishing  souls  will  be  required 
at  their  hands. 

But  to  return. — See  here,  O  young  ptople,  the  goodness  of 
Christ,  the  great  head  of  the  church,  in  making  such  provision 


$70  EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED. 

for  your  spiritual  welfare,  as  soon  as  you  were  born.  By  his 
appointment  you  were  brought  into  his  visible  family,  there 
to  be  trained  up  for  eternal  glory.  See  here  also  the  good 
\vill  of  your  parents  ;  they  gave  you  to  the  Lord,  and  entered 
into  covenant  to  bring  you  up  in  his  fear,  and  laid  you  under 
the  strongest  bonds  they  could  to  be  the  Lord's.  And  what 
now  is  your  proper  duly  ?  And  what  ought  to  be  the  temper 
of  your  minds?  "  I  thank  the  God  of  heaven,  (should  every 
one  of  you -be  ready  to  say,)  I  thank  the  great  Redeemer,  for 
this  merciful  and  gracious  constitution.  And  I  thank  my  pa- 
rents for  what  they  have  done.  I  approve  of  it  with  all  my 
heart ;  I  consent  to  it ;  I  rejoice  in  it;  1  would  be  the  Lord's  : 
I  will  ratify  and  confirm  that  covenant;  1  will  give  myself  to 
God,  and  join  myself  to  his  people,  and  hid  a  final  adieu  to 
my  vain  and  sinful  companions,  and  to  all  the  ways  of  vanity 
and  sin.  I  will  avouch  the  Lord  Jehovah  to  be  my  sovereign 
Lord  and  supreme  .good,  through  Jesus  Christ  ;  and  give  up 
myself  to  his  service,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways,  and  keep  all  his 
commands,  seeking  his  glory.''  This,  O  young  people,  is 
your  duty;  and  this  ought  to  be  the  temper  of  your  minds  j 
and  this  ought  ye  to  do  ! 

You  cannot  now  therefore  go  on  unmindful  of  God,  in 
vanity  and  sin,  at  an  easy  and  cheap  rate.  You  cannot 
do  it  without  treading  under  foot  the  goodness  of  Christ,  and 
the  good-will  of  your  parents,  and  breaking  your  baptismal 
covenant.  You  cannot  do  it  without  practically  forsaking 
the'  family  of  Christ,  and  the  people  of  God,  and  joining 
yourselves  to  the  family  of  satan.  And  if  you  do  so,  verily, 
as  St.  Paul  said  in  a  like  case,  your  circumcision  is  made  un- 
circumciswn  :  you  renounce  your  baptism,  and  practically 
turn  apostates :  and  will  be  treated  as  such,  in  that  great  day 
when  Christ  shall  come  to  judge  the  world. 

7.  Young  people  are  un^ier  special  obligations  to  early 
piety,  because  youth  is  the  time  when  persons  usually  have 
most  of  the  strivings  of  God's  holy  Spirit. 

It  has  been  commonly  observed  by  those  that  have  had 
much  to  do  with  souls,  that  mankind  have  usually  more  of  the 
strivings  of  the  spirit,  when  they  are  young,  than  after  they 
a/e  grown  old  in  years  and  old  in  sin.  And  it  is  no  wonder, 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED.  471 

i !  persons  when  they  are  young  grieve  the  holy  Spirit  time 
after  time,  that  they  are  gradually  very  much  left  and  forsa- 
ken of  God,  and  suffered  to  go  on  unmolested  in  their  way 
to  ruin  ;  in  after  years,  perhaps  there  are  very  few  young  peo- 
ple, hut  what  are  now  and  then  met  with,  stopped  in  their  ca- 
reer of  vanity  and  sin,  and  hrought  to  some  serious  thoughts 
of  the  state  of  their  souls,  and  of  their  way  of  living,  and  to 
think  what  is  like  to  be  their  end. 

And  this,  O  young  people,  i  doubt  not,  has  been  the  case 
with  one  and  another  of  you,  time  after  lime.  You  have 
been  awakened  to  some  sense  of  your  guilt  and  danger,  and 
to  serious  thoughts  of  another  world.  At  such  times  you 
have  gone  alone,  and  sat  down  solitary,  and  been  ready  to 
say,  "  alas,  what  a  wretch  I  am  !  What  a  dreadful  life  do  I 
live  !  What  a  dreadful  state  am  I  in  !  And  what  will  be  my 
end  !"  At  such  seasons  you  think  of  your  sins  and  vain 
courses,  with  a  heavy  heart :  you  think  of  your  frolics  and 
merry-meetings  with  regret;  and  are  ready  to  say,  "  I  shall 
certainly  perish  at  last,  if  I  go  on  in  this  way."  Perhaps  you 
have  sometimes  terrible  apprehensions  of  death  and  judg- 
ment ;  and  imagine  how  you  will  feel,  when  the  Judge  shall 
say,  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels.  It  may  be,  you  sometimes  with  fear  and 
trembling  think  of  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  of  the 
wrath  of  a  provoked  God,  of  the  anguish  of  a  condemning 
conscience,  of  the  eternity  of  hell  torments,  and  the  dreadful- 
ness  of  the  misery  and  despair  of  the  damned  :  and  are  rea- 
dy to  say,  "  I  am  a  fool  to  live  as  I  do,  I  am  distracted  to  go 
on  any  further ;  I  will  never  do  any  more  as  I  have  done." 
And  here  you  reckon  up  your  beloved  ways  of  sin,  and  form 
resolutions  to  leave  them.  "  Farewell  to  my  vain  frolics,  and 
farewell  to  my  vain  companions  :  I  will  now  begin  to  be  se- 
rious, and  have  done  with  my  light,  airy,  unprofitable  way  of 
living  ;  and  for  time  to  come,  I  will  be  constant  in  secret 
prayer  ;  those  leisure  hours  1  used  to  spend  abroad  among 
vain  companions,  1  will  devote  to  reading  the  bible,  and 
good  books,  to  meditation,  and  prayer."  And  thus  you  re- 
flect, and  thus  you  mourn,  and  thus  you  resolve  upon  a  new 
life, 


•472  EARLY    PIETY     RECOMMENDED. 

-  But  perhaps  in  a  few  clays  afterwards  your  sense  of  things 
begins  to  wear  off,  you  grow  unwatehful,  and  a  careless  vain 
temper  by  little  and  little  returns  upon  you ;  your  vain  com- 
panions make  you  a  visit,  they  invite  you  to  some  recreations, 
and  you  have  a  mind  to  go.  It  may  be,  on  this  occasion, 
your  conscience  reproves  and  warns  you  ;  telling  you  howr 
things  looked  to  you  at  such  a  time,  and  at  such  a  place,  and 
what  solemn  resolutions  you  made  ;  and  goes  on  to  say,  "  If 
you  do  go  with  these,  your  old  companions  in  sin,  you  will 
get  to  be  as  vain  and  careless  as  ever;  you  will  presently 
have  done  with  secret  prayer,  and  with  reading  the  bible  and 
good  books:  you  will  be  just  where  you  was,  or  rather  in  a 
much  worse  condition,  and  more  unlikely  ever  to  come  to 
God  :  you  know,  that  vain  company  has  always  been  of  hurt- 
ful tendency  :  and  many  a  time  has  put  an  end  to  hopeful 
beginnings:  and  therefore  you  must  not  go."  But  when 
your  conscience  has  been  thus  dealing  with  you,  you  have 
replied  in  some  such  foolish  and  self-flattering  manner  as 
this  :  "  pray,  let  me  go  this  once;>I  will  be  upon  my  guard, 
and  behave  seriously  and  civilly  ;  so  I  hope  it  will  do  me  no 
hurt :  and  1  will  come  home  in  season,  and  not  neglect  my 
prayers."  Thus  you  have  quieted  your  conscience,  and  have 
gone  with  enticing  companions:  and  so  all  your  concern  for 
your  soul  has  gradually  worn  off;  you  have  returned  to  folly, 
and  have  got  as  good  a  heart  for  vanity  as  ever ;  but  secret 
prayer  is  now  left  off,  and  your  bible  and  good  books  are  al! 
now  neglected.  Much  so,  perhaps,  it  has  been  with  some  of 
you,  time  after  time. 

And  thus,  as  it  is  God's  usual  way,  time  after  time,  to  meet 
with  young  persons,  and  awaken  them,  and  try  them,  to  see  if 
they  will  return  to  the  Lord;  so,  after  a  while,  the  spirit  of 
God  being  often  grieved,  their  resolutions  broken,  the  dic- 
tates of  their  consciences  not  obeyed;  God  begins  to  leave 
them  :  they  grow  more  secure  and  hardened,  and  almost  for- 
get that  they  ever  had  any  serious  thoughts.  Arid  now  they 
lay  the  reins  loose,  and  give  themselves  a  full  indulgence  ; 
they  spend  their  younger  days  in  pride  and  wantonness,  and 
their  riper  years  in  worldliness,  and  in  contention  ;  in  family- 
contentions,  between  the  husband  and  the  wife ;  in  neigh- 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED. 

uour-contentions,  in  society-contentions:  and  at  last  they  go 
down  to  the  dead,  and  to  hell.  No  doubt  there  are  no\v 
thousands  and  millions  in  hell,  who  went  thither  in  this  very 
road. 

And  shall  not  this  melancholy  view  of  things,  O  young 
people,  awaken  you  to  reflect  more  seriously  on  your  way, 
and  to  change  your  course  !  Can  you,  will  you,  dare  you,  go 
on  any  longer,  in  the  very  face  of  your  own  consciences, 
against  light  and  knowledge,  and  in  spite  of  all  the  inward 
warnings  of  God  !  O,  stop  this  day,  and  come  to  an  unal- 
terable determination,  to  go  not  one  step  further,  in  your 
foolish,  vain,  and  sinful  courses  !  Lest  you,  as  it  were,  tire  the 
patience  of  God,  and  he  swear  in  his  wrath,  that  you  shall 
never  enter  into  his  rest.  Read  Prov.  i.  24 — 31.  and  consi- 
der what  you  do. 

8.  Consider  how  many  resolutions  and  solemn  vows  you 
have  made  to  God,  and  to  your  own  consciences,  in  days 
past,  that  you  would  forsake  all  the  ways  of  vanity  and  sin, 
and  that  in  good  earnest  you  would  make  a  business  of  reli- 
gion. And  think  of  it  seriously,  "  that  all  these  resolutions 
and  vows  are  now  as  much  binding  in  the  sight  of  God,  as 
ever  they  were,  yea,  as  much  as  when  they  were  newly  made." 
You  have  broken  them  so  often,  perhaps,  that  they  now  seem 
to  have  lost  all  their  binding  nature,  and  you  can  now  break 
them  without  horror.  Once,  perhaps,  it  seemed  a  dreadful 
thing,  almost  an  unpardonable  crime,  to  break  your  resolu- 
tions ;  but  now  vou  can  do  it,  and  never  so  much  as  reflect 
upon  it.  And  yet  those  vows  are  as  binding  as  ever.  God 
remembers  them  all,  and  conscience  will  remember  them  all 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  in  their  light  will  your  conduct  be 
viewed  Think  of  it,  O  young  man  ;  think  of  it,  O  young  wo- 
man ;  and  tremble  to  see  what  you  have  been  doing !  And  this 
dav,  even  this  hour,  come  to  an  unalterable  determination,  with- 
out any  delay,  by  the  help  of  God,  to  put  all  your  old  resolu- 
tions in  practice. 

0.  Consider,  if  ever  vou  intend  to  become  religious,  now  is 

your  time,  your  best  time ,  and  it  may  be  your  only  time.     It 

will  be  great  stupiditv  and  folly,  to  flatter  yourselves  with  the 

notion  of  a  better  time  hereafter.     For  by  every  day's  delay, 

VOL.  in.  6rt 


474  EARLY  PIETY   RECOMMENDED. 

your  sins,  your  guilt,  your  hardness,  and  God's  anger  are  in- 
creasing ;  and  you  ripening  for  ruin,  and  divine  patience  is 
growing  weary.  Youth  is  the  best  time  to  begin  to  seek  after 
God.  As  hard  as  it  is  to  bring  youi selves  to  it  now,  yet  it 
will  be  more  difficult  hereafter.  As  many  temptations  as  you 
have  now,  yet  you  will  have  more,  (though  perhaps  of  an- 
other sort,)  hereafter.  And  as  little  hope  as  there  is  now  of 
your  obtaining  mercy,  yet  there  will  be  less  in  A  ears  to  come. 
So  that  now  is  your  time,  your  best  time,  and  it  may  be  your 
onlj  time;  for  unexpected  death  may  stop  your  breath,  and 
put  an  everlasting  end  to  all  your  opportunities.  O,  there- 
fore, delay  not ;  but  remembtr  nore  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of 
thy  youth.  While  the.  evil  days  come  not  nor  the  years  draw 
nigh,  when  thou  shalt  say,  1  have  no  pleasure  in  them. 

Lastly  ;  Let  it  be  considered,  God  claims  a  special  propriety 
in  your  youthful  da  ;s  ;  as  being  the  best,  and  most  sprightly  and 
active  part  of  your  five's.  This  we  may  learn  from  some  in- 
junctions under  the  Jewish  dispensation.  For  God  always  in- 
sisted upon  it,  that  the  first  and  best  of  every  thing  should  be 
in  a  peculiar  manner  devoted  to  him ;  the  first-born  of  man, 
and  the  first-born  of  beast,  and  the  first-fruits  of  all  the  in- 
crease of  the  field,  were  to  be  the  Lord's.  And^the^very  best 
of  their  herds  and  of  their  flocks,  were  to  be  offered  in  sacri- 
fice to  the  Lord.  It  was  an  abomination  to  bring  their 
blind,  their  lame,  and  their  sick  for  an  offering,  to  sacrifice 
unto  the  Lord  a  corrupt  thing,  while  they  reserved  the  best 
for  themselves.  And  surely  it  was  perfectly  reasonable,  that 
God,  who  is  the  first  and  the  best  of  beings,  should  have  the 
first  and  the  best  brought  him  in  sacrifice.  How  directly 
contrary,  therefore,  to  reason  and  Scripture,  are  the  natural 
notions  of  young  people,  (yea,  and  of  parents  too,)  who  are 
ready  to  think,  and  say,  "  Certainly  young  people  may  be  al- 
lowed some  more  liberty  ;>here  is  no  need  that  they  should 
live  by  such  strict  rules;  now  is  their  time  to  take  their  plea- 
sures ;  it  is  time  enough  for  them  to  be  serious  and  religious 
hereafter,  when  they  are  settled  in  the  world."  Just  as  if  it 
was  reasonable  and  fitting,  in  the  nature  of  things,  that  the 
world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  should  have  their  first  and  best 
days ;  and  that  God  should  be  turned  off  with  hereafter,  when 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED. 

they  are  become  too  old  lor  carnal  delights,  for  sports,  and 
frolics,  and  vanity.  "And  if  ye  offer  the  blind  tor  sacrifice, 
is  it  not  evil  ?  and  if  ye  offer  the  lame  and  the  sick,  is  it  not 
evil  ?  Offer  it  now  unto  thy  governor,  will  he  be  pleased  with 
thee,  or  accept  thy  person  ?  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Mai.  i.  8. 

That  wretched  plea,  although  it  be  a  ver\  common  one, 
casis  infinite  contempt  upon  God  :  for  it  supposes,  that  young 
people  have  good  reason  for  it,  and  ina\  very  warraniably 
please  themselves,  rather  than  God  ;  may  reasonabK  disobey 
his  will,  to  have  their  own  ;  may  reasonably  spend  the  best 
part  of  their  lives  in  vanity  and  sin,  and  turn  off  God  with  an 
hereafter.  Just  as  if  themselves  and  their  corruptions  were 
more  worthy  of  regard  than  the  blessed  God.  It  even  sup- 
poses, that  there  is  more  benefit  and  comfort  in  vain  compa- 
ny, than  there  is  in  communion  with  God;  yea,  that  to  love 
and  serve  God  is  a  piece  of  mere  drudgery,  which  cannot  be 
borne  with  ;  but  that  the  ways  of  sin  are  ways  of  liberty. 
Blush,  O  parents !  Be  ashamed,  O  children !  To  treat  the 
Lord  of  glory,  the  delight  of  heaven,  the  joy  of  angels  and 
saints,  in  such  a  contemptuous  manner! 

You  that  are  in  your  youth,  realize  it,  these  are  your  best 
davs,  and  therefore  they  must  be  the  Lord's.  These  are  youfl 
sprightly,  active  years,  and  therefore  they  must  be  devoted  to 
him  that  made  you,  to  serve  him.  Now  your  understanding 
is  active,  and  your  memory  strong,  your  affections  warm,  and 
nature  all  alive.  Now  you  are  more  free  from  worldly  cares 
and  incutnbrances ;  now  therefore  you  have  many  leisure 
hours  for  reading,  meditation,  and  prayer ;  now  you  have,  in 
a  sense,  nothing  to  do,  but  to  seek  after  God.  And  surely 
now  you  must  be  the  Lord's.  These  active  powers,  these 
blooming  days,  these  pleasant  years,  these  leisure  hours,  must 
all  be  consecrated  to  the  Lord.  Nor  can  you,  without  abom- 
inable sacrilege,  spend  them  away  in  vanity  and  sin. 

Thus,  you  lie  under  many  and  great  obligations  to  early 
piety.  Since  God  is  what  he  is  in  himself;  since  you  are 
rational  creatures;  since  God  has  such  an  entire  right  to  you, 
and  authority  over  you,  therefore  you  must  be  the  LORD'S. 
And  since  Christ  has  died  for  sinners;  since  you  have  been 
given  up  to  God  in  baptism  through  him  ;  since  God  has  ta- 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED. 

ken  so  much  pains  with  you  by  his  spirit;  since  all  the  so- 
lemn vows  you  have  made  are  slill  as  binding  as  ever  ;  and 
since  this  is  your  best  time,  yea,  perhaps  your  only  time,  and 
a  time  that  God  claims  a  special  propriety  in  ;  therefore  you 
must  be  the  Lord's,  you  must  remember  now  your  Creator  in 
the  days  of  your  youth.  There  is  no  saying,  Nay.  The  obli- 
gations are  infinite,  and  you  must  be  the  LORD'S. 

I  proceed, 

III.  To  offer  some  directions  and  motives,  to  assist  and  en-' 
courage  young  people  to  early  piety,  to  remember  now  their 
Creator  in  the  days  of  their  youth. 

In  the  first  place,  I  begin  with  directions.  And  in  gene- 
ral, 1  lay  this  down  for  a  certain  maxim,  that  "  whatsoever 
has  a  natural  tendency  to  make  you  unmindful  of  God,  must 
be  conscientiously  avoided  ;  and  whatsoever  has  a  natural 
tendency  to  beget  and  cherish  a  sense  of  God  in  your  hearts, 
must  be  carefully  practised."  This  the  light  of  nature  teach- 
es ;  and  so  do  the  holy  Scriptures.  Heb.  xii.  1,  Let  us  lay 
aside  evert^  weight,  and  the  sin  which  does  so  easily,  beset  us. 
And,  Eph.  vi.  1 J.  Put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  ye 
may  be  able  to  stand.  Read  also  ver.  12.  to  the  ]8th.  See 
also  1  Cor.  ix.  24 — 27.  Eph.  iv.  29,  30.  Are  you  under 
infinite  obligations  to  remember  God  ?  by  consequence  you 
are  under  infinite  obligations  to  avoid  every  thing  that  has  a 
natural  tendency  to  make  you  unmindful  of  him ;  and  un- 
der infinite  obligations  to  practise  all  those  means  which  have 
a  natural  tendency  to  beget  and  cherish  a  sense  of  God  in 
your  hearts.  You  are  not,  therefore,  at  liberty  to  choose 
whether  you  will  follow  good  directions,  or  not ;  but  are  un- 
der infinite  obligations  to  hearken  and  obey.  And  here, 

1.  I  will  point  out  some  things  that  have  a  natural  tenden- 
cy to  make  you  unmindful  of  God ;  which  you  must  therefore 
industriously  watch  against  a»d  avoid. 

Particularly, 

1.  Indulging  a  vain,  light,  airy,  jovial,  wanton  frame  of 
spirit,  has  a  natural  tendency  to  banish  all  sense  of  God  from 
the  heart;  and  therefore  must  be  industriously  and  continu- 
ally praved,  and  watched,  and  laboured  against.  Young  peo- 
ple are  naturally  inclined  to  such  a  temper,  and  it  is  their 

\ 


EAHLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED.  477 

common  way  to  give  it  a  liberal  indulgence;  whereby  all 
serious  thoughts  of  God  and  religion,  of  death  and  judgment, 
of  heaven  and  hell,  are  banished  from  their  minds.  There- 
fore the  apostle  Paul  directs  Titus,  to  exhort  young  men  to  be. 
sober-minded.  Tit.  ii.  6.  A  temper  contrary  to  sober-mind- 
edness will  be  your  ruin,  if  it  be  not  mortified.  Youthful 
levity  and  wantonness  of  rnind,  will  quench  the  motions  of 
the  holy  Spirit;  it  will  stifle  convictions;  it  will  make  you 
prayerless,  and  heartless  in  duty  ;  it  will  extinguish  all  so- 
lemn sense  of  the  vows  of  God  upon  you,  and  bring  all  your 
good  resolutions  to  nothing.  You  have  found  it  to  be  so  in 
days  past,  and  will  find  it  so  again,  if  you  do  not  change  your 
course.  In  the  first  place,  therefore,  begin  here;  no  longer 
indulge  such  an  unserious  light,  and  frothy  temper  of  mind. 
Watch  your  heart,  and  strive  to  be  serious :  labour  to  get, 
and  cherish  a  sense  of  God,  and  of  things  divine  and  eternal. 

2.  Spending  precious  time  in  idleness,  is  another  thing  of 
very  bad  tendency.     Young  people  have  many  leisure  hours 
lying  upon  their  hands  every  week,  which  ought  to  be  spent 
in  reading,  in  meditation,  and  prayer  :  but  it  is  the  common 
way  to  spend  them  in  nothing,  or  that  which  is  worse  than 
nothing.     And   hereby  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil, 
bave  a  continual  advantage  over  them  ;  by  means  of  idleness 
they  lie  an  open  and  easy  prey  to  every  temptation.  O,  young 
people,  therefore  make  this  your  constant  rule,  to  employ  all 
your  leisure  hours  for  the  good  of  your  souls,  as  you  will  wish 
you  had  done  when  you  come  to  die  !     See  Eph.  v.  15,  16. 
Read  and  apply  the  counsel  there  given  you. 

3.  Being  much  in  vain  company,   whether   at  home  or 
abroad,  is  another  thing  of  bad  tendency.     In  such  compa- 
ny there  is  nothing  but  foolish  jesting,  sportful,  wanton,  and 
unprofitable  discourse  at  best;  whereby  the  heart  is  rendered 
still  more  vain  and  unmindful  of  God,  and  indisposed  to  eve- 
ry thing  that  is  serious  and  good.     Nothing  can  therefore  be 
done  in  religion,  until  vain  company  be  entirely  and  for  ever 
renounced.     Leave  such  companions,  therefore,  you  must ; 
or  be  one  of  their  companions  in  hell  for  ever.     (See  Psalm  i. 
I,  2.  Rom.  xiii.  13,  14.  Eph.  iv.  29,  SO.  and  v.  4.     1  Pet.  iv. 
•2,  3,  4,  5.)     "  He  that  walketh  with  the  wise,  shall  be  wise  : 


4,7S  EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED. 

but  a  companion  of  fools  shall  be  destroyed."  O,  then,  for- 
sake the  foolish,  and  lite.  Seek  some  pious  companion,  and 
make  such  an  one  your  friend,  who  will  kindly  instruct,  ad- 
vise, and  admonish  you,  as  there  may  be  occasion.  For  it  is 
better  to  hear  the  rebuke,  of  the  wise,  than  for  a  man  to  hear 
the  song  of  fools.  Eccl.  vii.  5. 

4.  The  gratifying  of  a  favourite  lust  is  of  very  dangerous 
tendency.    Commonly  there  is  some  special  beloved  sin  which 
lies  in  the  way  of  young  people's  entering  upon  a  religious 
life,  and  causes  them  to  break  a  hundred  good  resolutions  ; 
often  some  secret  sin,  which  it  seems  almost  impossible  to  part 
with,  and  which  they  often  fall  into ;  whereby  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit of  God  is  grieved,  conviction  killed,   conscience  seared; 
and  it  is  a  wonder  if  it  does  not  prove  their  final  ruin.     (Eph. 
v.  12.)     Now  when  this  is  the   case,  there  is  nothing  to  be 
done  to  any  purpose,  until  this  Achan  be  slain.     With  fast- 
ing and  prayer,  therefore,  seeking  to  God  for  his  grace,  engage 
in  the  conflict  with  your  beloved  sin,  and  never  leave,  until 
you  have  gotten  the  victory. 

In  the  last  place, 

5.  One  of  the  greatest  hinderances  to  serious  piety  among 
young  people,  in  most  towns  and   societies,   is  the    habit  of 
attending  places  of  vain  and  fashionable  amusements.    This  is 
a  habit  of  long  standing  in  the  country  ;  one  generation  after 
another  has  been  trained  up  in  the  practice  of  it,  whereby  a 
spirit  of  seriousness  and  sobriety  has  been  almost  rooted  out  of 
the  land,  though  a  land  once  famous  for  religion,  for  sobriety 
and    universal   temperance.     Indeed,   a  few  years  ago   this 
practice  was  generally  laid  aside,  throughout  all  the  country. 
When  the  Spirit  from  on  high  was  poured  out,  when  the 
great  things  of  the  eternal  world  were  realized,  when  con- 
science was  enlightened,  awakened,  in  multitudes  ;  then   this 
practice  was  judged  to  be  sinful.     And  no  doubt  there  were 
hundreds,  yea,  thousands  and  thousands  of  vows,  and  solemn 
resolutions  made  among  young  people  in  New-England,  for 
ever  to  lay  aside  the  pernicious  and  ensnaring  practice  of 
dancing.     But  since  the  spirit  of  God  has  withdrawn,  and 
sinners  have  fallen  asleep  again,  the  old   practice  is  set  up> 
anew.    And  here,  in  this  school  of  debauchery  and  corrup- 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED.  479 

,  the  rising  generation  are  training  up  in  pride  and  vanity, 
in  wantonness  and  levity;  if  not  in  drunkenness,  and  luxury, 
in  lasciviousness,  in  gaining,  cursing,  and  swearing.  In  a 
word,  a  passion  for  vain  amusements  and  parties  of  pleasure, 
has  been  heretofore  one  principal  means  of  banishing  almost 
all  appearance  of  serious  religion,  from  the  generality  of 
young  people  especially.  And  it  has  been  so  of  late  very 
evidently. 

Nor  is  it  any  wonder;  for  this  is  its  natural  tendency.  It 
tends  to  stifle  all  serious  reflections,  to  cherish  a  vain  and  airy 
temper,  and  to  promote  an  idle  and  dissolute  course  of  life. 
It  tends  to  draw  off  the  heart  from  God,  to  loosen  the 
thoughts  from  eternal  concerns,  and  to  give  the  mind  a  relish 
for  nothing  but  carnal  and  sensual  pleasures.  It  tends  to 
make  young  people  forget  that  they  are  sinners,  and  that  they 
must  die  and  come  to  judgment.  It  tends  to  make  them 
neglect  reading,  meditation,  and  secret  prayer  ;  and  to  put  off 
religion,  until  they  are  settled  in  the  world,  under  the  vain 
notion  of  their  having  a  better  time  then.  It  tends  to  render 
them  deaf  to  all  the  inward  warnings  of  God's  Spirit,  and  to 
the  checks  of  their  own  consciences;  and  deaf  to  all  the  out- 
ward calls  of  the  Gospel,  and  counsels  of  their  ministers,  their 
parents,  and  other  spiritual  friends :  whereby  all  the  means 
of  grace  become  of  no  advantage  to  them.  Or,  if  at  any 
time  a  youth  is  met  with  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  awakened 
to  some  sense  of  his  sin  and  guilt  and  danger ;  if  a  sermon 
reaches  his  conscience ;  if  a  fit  of  sickness,  or  the  death  of  one 
of  his  companions,  excites  him  to  serious  thoughts,  and  re- 
solutions for  a  new  life,  a  few  amusements  and  gay  parties  will 
presently  put  an  end  to  all.  Hereby  his  serious  impressions 
are  worn  off,  and  he  quickly  becomes  as  vain  and  thoughtless 
as  ever. 

These  things  being  evident,  vain  amusements  must  there- 
fore be  for  ever  renounced,  if  you  would  remtmber  now  i/our 
Creator  in  the  days  of  your  youth.  That  you  are  under  infi- 
nite obligations  to  have  a  sense  of  God  on  your  hearts,  and 
such  a  sense  of  God  as  will  effectually  divorce  you  from  all 
other  things,  and  influence  you  to  be  entirely  devoted  to  him ; 
this  has  been  already  proved.  Hence,  to  forget  God,  and  to 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

live  unmindful  of  him,  is  infinitely  sinful.  To  indulge  your- 
selves, therefore,  in  what  you  know  has  a  most  natural  ten- 
dency to  make  you  do  so,  must  be  infinitely  sinful  too.  But 
following  those  vain  amusements,  you  know,  is  a  thing  that 
has  such  a  tendency. 

And  since  such  is  the  nature  of  that  custom,  hence  every 
time  you  go  to  such  a  place  or  party,  you  turn  your  back 
upon  the  God  of  heaven  ;  and  practically  say,  "  I  love  vain 
company,  more  than  I  do  communion  with  God."  You  turn 
your  back  upon  a  crucified  Saviour,  and  upon  all  the  grace 
of  the  Gospel  ;  and  practically  say,  "  I  do  not  care  for  the 
dying  love  of  Christ,  nor  for  the  kind  invitations  of  the  Gos- 
pel :  I  have  something  else  to  do  besides  repenting  and  re- 
turning to  God  through  Jesus  Christ ;  I  must  have  my  plea- 
sures first;  Christ  must  wait  until  this  season  is  over,  until  I 
get  settled  in  the  world  ;  it  will  be  time  enough  then  to  heark- 
en to  him."  Thus  you  make  light  of  the  Gospel-invitation, 
like  those  in  Matth.  xxii.  5. — And  what  infinite  contempt 
is  herein  cast  upon  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  upon  all  the 
blessings  purchased  by  his  blood  !  But  wherefore  do  the  wick" 
ed  condemn  God,  and  tread  underfoot  tht  Son  of  his  love  ! 

Who  are  you,  and  what  are  your  circumstances,  all  this 
while  ?  Why,  you  are  fallen,  guilty,  polluted,  condemned 
creatures;  hanging  over  the  grave  and  hell,  by  the  brittle 
thread  of  a  frail  life ;  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  an  incensed 
Deity,  in  whose  hand  is  your  breath,  and  whom  you  are  in- 
sulting and  continually  affronting  to  his  face.  And  how 
does  it  look,  to  see  condemned  malefactors  singing  and  danc- 
ing round  the  mouth  of  the  pit,  ready  every  moment  to  drop 
into  hell ;  and  kept  out  merely  by  the  power  and  clemency 
of  the  God  whom  they  despise,  and  whose  redeeming  grace 
they  trample  upon  ! — Think  of  this,  O  young  man  ;  think  of 
this,  O  young  woman  ;  and  tremble  to  see  what  your  temper 
and  conduct  have  been  :  ancf  now,  this  day,  come  to  an  un- 
alterable determination,  forever  to  renounce  this  vile  practice. 
See  your  danger,  break  the  snare,  and  escape  ;  and  if  sinners 
entice  thee,  consent  thou  not. 

Here,  to  fortify  you  against  their  enticement,  [  will  brieflr 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED.  481 

<  onsider  and  reply  to  some  objections,  that  may  be  made 
against  this  part  of  my  discourse. 

OBJECTION.  But  is  there  no  recreation  lawful  for  young 
people  ? 

AN  s.  1.  No  recreation  is  lawful,  that  naturally  tends  to  make 
them  unmindful  of  God,  and  to  indispose  them  for  a  lite  of 
the  strictest  piety.  See  Heb.  xii.  J.  No  recreation  is  lawful,  that 
tends  only  to  please  the  flesh.  See  Rom.  viii.  12,  13.  And 
Chap  xiii.  14.  No  recreation  is  lawful,  that  cannot  be  done 
to  the  glory  of  God.  See  1  Pet.  iv.  1^-1 1.  Vain  amusements 
therefore  are  not  lawful,  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

2.  The  only  design  of  recreation  is  to  fit  us  the  better  to 
attend  on  the  great  duties  of  life.     We  were  made  for  the 
service  of  God  ;  and  all  our  time,  even  quite  all  of  it,  is  to  be 
spent  in  doing  his  will.     And  every  employment  undertaken 
by  us,  ought  to  be  with  a  view  to  the  great  end  for  which  we 
were  made.    1  Cor.  x.  81.   Such  recreation,  therefore,  and  so 
much  of  it  as  is  necessary  to  fit  us  for  the  service  of  God,  is 
lawful  :  but  the  rest,  all  the  rest,  is  sinful.     The  practice  of 
dancing,  so  prevalent  among  young  people,  like  all  other  vain, 
amusements,  is  sinful ;  tor  this  is  so  far  from  having  any  ten- 
dency to  fit  them  for  the  service  of  God,  that  it  naturally 
tends  to  keep  them  secure  in  the  service  of  sin. 

3.  No  recreation  is  lawful,  but  that  which,  upon  the  whole, 
(all  things  considered,)  is  a  duty.     For  all  our  time  is  to  be 
entirely  devoted  to  God,  and  all  our  powers  employed  in  glo- 
rifying him.    (1  Cor.  vi.   20.)     Every   duty  is  to  be  gone 
about,  out  of  love  to  God,  in  his  fear  and  for  his  glory.     But 
dancing  is  such  a  thing,  in  its  nature  and  circumstances,  that 
I  do  not  see  how  it  is  possible  young  people  should  be  influ- 
enced to  it  from  love  to  God ;  or  attend  upon  it  in  his  fear, 
ftnd  with  an  eye  to  his  glory.     So  far  as  these  principles  and 
views  prevail  in  the  heart,  so  far  will  the  heart  be  entirely 
averse  to  dancing.     And  therefore  this  custom  is  not  lawful, 
but  forbidden,  and  to  be  shunned  by  all  that  would  flee  youth- 
ful lusts. 

OBJ.     But  Solomon  says,  there  is  a  time  for  all  things. 
Eccl.  iii.     And  particularly,  there  is  a  time  to  fiance,  ver.  4. 
VOL.  in.  6l 


482  EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

ANS.  Yes,  and  he  says  too,  There  is  a  time  to  be  born,  and 
a  time  to  die,  ver.  2.  Now  do  you  think,  that  he  means, 
there  is  a  time  when  it  is  lawful  to  be  born,  and  lawful  to  die? 
Surely  no :  but  only,  that  there  is  a  time  when  men  are  born, 
and  a  time  when  they  do  die.  For  neither  our  birth,  nor 
death,  come  under  the  notion  of  lawful,  or  unlawful.  So 
that,  from  the  context,  it  is  evident,  that  Solomon  does  not 
mean  to  say  in  the  words  objected,  what  is  lawful,  or  unlaw- 
ful :  but  only  speaks  of  events  happening,  or  that  such  and 
such  things  do  come  to  pass  b.  And  besides,  that  Solomon 
did  not  design  to  befriend  dancing,  is  evident  from  Eccl.  vii. 
2—6. 

OBJ.  Again  it  is  pleaded,  that  holy  David  danced  before 
the  ark. 

ANS.  But  can  any  be  so  weak  as  to  think,  that  David  was 
in  a  frolic  at  that  time,  a  time  of  so  great  solemnity  !  No,  he 
only  expressed  a  religious   pleasure,   by  dancing    before  tht 
Lord,  and  playing  before  the  Lord.      2  Sam.  vi.  14.  21. 
,  OBJ.  Nay,  Christ  himself  went  to  a  wedding. 

ANS.  Yes,  but  he  did  not  go  to  a  ball,  nor  do  any  thing 
a-kin  to  dancing.  He  abstained  from  all  appearance  of  such 
an  evil. 

OBJ.  When  the  prodigal  son  came  home,  there  was  music 
and  dancing. 

ANS.  Christ  is  there  only  showing  what  jot/  there  is  in 
heaven  over  a  sinner  that  repenttth^y  a  similitude  borrowed 
from  the  common  custom  of  this  world :  but  says  nothing 
about  the  lawfulness  of  that  custom  among  his  disciples.  So 
in  the  parable  of  the  unjust  steward,  (in  the  next  chapter, 
Luke  xvi.)  from  his  wicked  policy,  he  takes  occasion  to  re- 
commend and  inculcate  spiritual  wisdom.  But  we  cannot 
from  hence  argue  that  Christ  approved  of  the  unrighteous 
conduct  of  that  steward.  And  besides,  Paul  says  expressly, 
Be  not  conformed  to  this  world.  Rom.  xii.  2.  And  expressly 
forbids  chambering  and  wantonness,  Rom.  xiii.  13.  And  an- 

b  "  He  doth  not  here  speak  of  a  time  allowed  by  God,  wherein  all  the  fol- 
lowing things  may  lawfully  be  done,  which  is  wholly  besides  his  scope  am! 
business,  but  only  of  a  time  fixed  by  God,  in  which  they  would  or  should  be 
tfene.1'  POOL'S  Anoot.  on  the  place. 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED.  483 

other  apostle  says,  If  any  man  is  merry,  let  him  sing  psalms. 
Jam.  v.  13.  And  the  whole  tenour  of  ihe  New  Testament 
requires  us,  "  to  pray  always,  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  always,  to 
give  thanks  to  God  for  all  things,  to  admonish  one  another 
in  psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  to  the  Lord  :" 
And  this  is  the  Christian  way  of  expressing  joy  and  gratitude. 
But  dancing  and  vain  merriment  shows  a  Spirit  entirely  in- 
consistent with  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity. 

OBJ.  Yet  the  Scriptures  no  where  forbid  dancing. 

Axs.  But  do  not  the  Scriptures  require  us  to  love  God  with 
all  our  heart  and  with  all  our  strength  ?  And  is  uotthat  incon- 
sistent with  a  frolicsome  spirit  ?  Do  not  the  Scriptures  require 
us  "  to  lay  up  our  treasure  in  heaven,  and  to  have  our  conver- 
sation in  heaven,  to  set  our  affections  on  things  that  are 
above,  to  pray  always  and  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  evermore  r" 
And  are  not  all  these  things  inconsistent  with  a  frolicsome 
spirit?  And  do  not  the  Scriptures  forbid  us  to  be  "carnally 
minded,  to  live  after  the  flesh,  to  make  provision  for  the  flesh 
to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof  ?"  &c.  Do  not  the  Scriptures  require 
us  to  "crucify  the  flesh,  to  mortify  our  members  which  are 
upon  the  earth,  to  deny  ourselves  ?"  &c.  Do  they  not  require 
of  young  people  in  particular  that  they  be  sober,  discreet, 
giving  none  occasion  to  despise  their  youth  ?  And  is  not  this 
inconsistent  with  a  frolicsome  spirit? 

Besides,  what  do  you  think  of  those  words  of  holy  Job, 
(Chap.  xxi.  11,  &c.)  where,  giving  the  character  of  the 
wicked,  he  says,  "Their  children  dance,  they  take  the  tim- 
brel and  harp,  and  rejoice  at  the  sound  of  the  organ.  There- 
fore they  say  unto  God,  depart  from  us,  for  we  desire  not  the 
knowledge  of  thy  ways.  What  is  the  almighty,  that  we 
should  serve  him  ?  And  what  profit  should  we  have,  if  we 
pray  unto  him  ?"  First,  they  indulge  themselves  in  carnal 
sports  and  pleasures;  and  then,  as  a  natural  consequence, 
they  say  unto  God,  depart  from  us.  In  Job's  opinion  this  is 
the  character  of  the  wicked.  And  is  not  this  very  exactly 
the  description  of  the  gay  and  licentious  in  our  days  f  Again, 
what  think  ye  of  that  of  the  prophet,  Isa.  v.  1 1,  12.  "Wo 
unto  you  that  rise  early  in  the  morning,  that  ye  may  follow 
strong  drink  ;  that  continue  until  night,  until  wine  inflame 


484  JBARLY    PIETY    EECOMMENDEU. 

them.  And  the  harp,  and  the  vial,  and  the  tablet,  and  the 
pipe,  and  wine,  are  in  their  feasts  ?"  The  consequence  where- 
of is  this, "  But  they  regard  not  the  work  of  the  Lord,  nor 
consider  the  operation  of  his  hands  !"  And  so  again,  dmos 
vi.  \ — 6.  "Wo  to  them  that  are  at  ease  in  Zion ;  that  put 
far  away  the  evil  day,  that  chaunt  to  the  sound  of  the  viol,  that 
drink  wine  in  bowls  :  (and  what  is  the  consequence  ?)  But 
they  are  not  grieved  for  the  affliction  of  Joseph."  And  thus, 
you  see,  the  holy  Scriptures  set  a  life  of  carnal  pleasure  in 
just  the  same  light  that  your  faithful  ministers  do.  In  Scrip- 
ture-account, it  is  the  way  of  wicked  men,  of  secure  sinners, 
of  those  that  are  at  ease  in  Zion  ;  and  it  makes  them  bid  God 
depart  from  them  ;  it  makes  them  put  far  arcaij  the  evil  day, 
and  disregard  all  the  judgments  of  God,  and  calamities  of  his 
church  and  people.  And  the  holy  Scriptures  denounce  an 
awful  wo  against  all  such. 

OBJ.  "  But  if  I  renounce  dancing  and  fashionable  amuse- 
ments, and  bid  farewell  to  my  vain  companions,  and  enter 
upon  a  life  of  serious  and  strict  religion,  1  shall  never  be  res- 
pected any  more,  nor  take  any  more  enjoyment  of  my  life." 

ANS.  If  your  vain  companions  do  not  love  you  as  they  used 
to ;  yet  they  will  fear  and  reverence  you,  as  Herod  did  John 
the  Baptist.  And  if  you  never  have  any  more  of  your  for- 
mer carnal  enjoyment,  yet  you  may  have  spiritual  consolation, 
which  is  infinitely  better.  But  make  the  worst  of  things,  and 
suppose  you  must  part  with  every  thing  that  is  at  present  dear 
to  you,  what  then  !  Is  not  this  our  Saviour's  constant  lan- 
guage, that  no  man  can  be  his  disciple,  unless  he  denies  him- 
self) takes  up  his  cross,  and  follows  him ;  unless  he  heartily 
gives  up  his  reputation  and  all  carnal  delights  and  pleasures, 
and  is  heartily  willing  to  sacrifice  every  thing  that  is  dear  to 
him,  even  his  very  life,  for  Jesus  Christ  ?  But  then  Christ  has 
assured  such,  that  they  shall  ]*ave  a  hundred-fold  in  the  present 
world}  besides  eternal  life  in  the  world  to  come.  Bid  farewell, 
therefore,  to  a  life  of  sensual  pleasure;  and  no  more  turn 
aside  after  satan  ;  quit  the  tents  of  wickedness,  and  list  under 
the  banner  of  Jesus  Christ.  Let  the  world  say  what  they 
will,  follow  ye  the  captain  of  our  salvation  :  thus  go  victorious 
and  triumphant  to  eternal  glory. 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED.  48i 

Dj-  this  time  I  suppose,  my  young  friends,  you  are  all 
rationally  convinced,  it' you  have  suitably  attended  to  what 
has  been  said,  that  it  is  your  duty,  without  any  more  delay, 
entirely  to  change  your  careless  vain  way  of  living,  and  en- 
ter upon  the  great  business  of  religion.     Yea,  some  of  you,  I 
hope,  have  already  determined  to  do  so.     Yet  I  fear  there 
may  be  .some  among  you,  who  are  disposed  to  resist  convic- 
tion, and  harden  your  hearts,  saying  within  yourielves  some 
such  words  as  these  which  follow. 

OBJ.  "  Well !  others  may  do  as  they  please,  but  for  my 
part,  I  am  resolved  to  take  my  pleasures,  and  live  a  merry 
life.  Let  ministers  say  what  they  list,  I  shall  not  regard  it; 
if  young  people  do  not  attend  balls  and  theatres,  and  other 
parties  of  pleasure,  they  will  do  that  which  is  as  bad.  And  I 
hate  your  precise  ways." 

ANS.  Just  so  Pharaoh  of  old  impudently  lifted  up  himself 
against  the  Almighty,  and  said,  Who  is  the  Lord"?  I  know  not 
the  Lord ;  nor  will  I  obey  him.  But  wherein  he  exalted  him- 
self, God  was  above  him ;  and  thus  spake  the  Lord  to  him, 
For  this  very  cause  have  I  raised  thee  up,  for  to  show  in  thee  my 
power,  and  that  my  name  may  be  declarei  throughout  all  the 
earth,  Exod.  ix.  16.  So,  thou  stubborn  and  haughty  wretch, 
gird  up  your  loins,  set  your  face  like  a  flint,  fight  against  hea- 
ven, as  much  as  you  please,  and  scorn  to  mind  the  authority 
of  almighty  God  :  but  know  it,  from  God  almighty,  the  hot 
thunderbolts  of  his  vengeance,  if  you  repent  not,  will  ere 
long  smite  your  guilty  soul  down  to  hell.  And  the  God, 
whom  you  now  contemn,  will  get  himself  a  great  name  in 
your  eternal  destruction.  Nor  are  you  strong  and  hardy 
enough  to  bear  up  under  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  almighty, 
and  to  endure  the  torments  of  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone. 
Alas !  your  courage  will  fail  you,  when  the  unquenchable 
flames  have  kindled  upon  you,  and  the  smoke  of  your  tor- 
ments shall  ascend  up  for  ever  and  ever.  Then  you  will  cry 
out  in  horror,  in  extreme  anguish  and  despair;  and  will 
weep,  and  wail,  and  gnash  your  teeth.  And  it  will  add  to 
your  eternal  torments,  that  this  day  you  have  been  repeatedly 
\varned,  int  he  name  of  the  living  God,  but  hated  instruction, 
and  despised  reproof. 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMEN  DED. 

You  say,  "Young  people  will  do  that  which  is  as  bad,  if 
they  do  not  attend  balls  and  theatres."  I  only  reply,  then 
tbey  will  be  as  bad  fools,  and  in  the  end  shall  they  go  to  as 
bad  a  hell. 

But,  parents,  (to  turn  myself  to  you  in  a  short  address,) 
will  you  stand  by,  and  see  your  children  drown  themselves  in 
perdition  !  Where  are  your  former  solemn  engagements  to 
God  !  Your  children  are  the  Lord's  :  you  gave  them  to  God 
in  baptism.  Remember  the  bonds  you  are  under,  and  defer 
not  to  pay  your  vows.  Where  are  \  our  bowels  of  pity  !  Where 
is  your  parental  authority  !  Who  is  on  the  Lord's  side  !  Who  ! 
Their  blood  will  be  required  at  your  hands,  if  through  your 
neglect  they  run  to  ruin,  and  are  finally  lost.  O,  therefore, 
by  vour  prayers  and  counsels,  your  example,  and  authority, 
do  all  you  possibly  can  to  restrain  and  reform  them.  Re- 
member the  heavy  judgments  Eli  brought  upon  his  family  by 
not  restraining  his  children,  when  they  made  themselves  vile. 
And  consider,  that  bringing  up  your  children  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  or  teaching  them  to  obey  God, 
is  a  most  effectual  method  to  make  them  obedient  to  you,  to 
train  them  up  for  being  blessings  in  their  place,  and  to  ren- 
der them  great  comforts  to  you  in  your  old  age  ;  besides  all 
the  happy  consequences  that  will  accrue  to  them,  in  time  and 
to  eternity.  Therefore  resolve  with  good  Joshua,  that  as  for 
you  and  your  house,  you  will  serve  the  Lord. 

OBJ.  But  what  ij  our  children  should  lay  aside  all  obsti- 
nacy, and  put  on  an  obedient,  dutiful  air,  and  say,  "  my  fa- 
ther, my  mother,  I  would  by  no  means  go  contrary  to  you 
in  this  matter,  nor  would  I  willingly  do  any  thing  displeasing 
to  God  :  I  own  that  young  people  are  too  extravagant.  But 
if  dancing  might  be  carried  on  civilly,  and  break  up  seasona- 
bly, what  harm  would  there  be  in  it  ?  There  is  such  a  minis- 
ter, and  there  is  such  a  deacop,  and  there  is  such  a  good  man, 
who  let  their  children  go  to  balls  :  and  would  you  have  us 
singular  ?  And  besides,  if  we  never  go  abroad,  we  shall  ne- 
ver know  what  genteel  behaviour  is,  nor  how  to  conduct  our- 
selves in  company."  And  now  what  shall  we  say,  or  what 
shall  we  do,  in  such  a  case  ? 

Am.  Were  they  my  children,  I  would  in  the  first  place. 


EARLY    HETY    RECOMMENDED.  487 

with  all  the  love  and  goodness  of  a  tender  parent,  assure 
them  that  I  did  not  desire  to  deprive  them  of  any  liberty, 
which,  (all  things  considered,)  would  be  reasonable,  and  for 
their  good.  And  1  would  furnish  them  with  such  books  as 
were  proper,  not  only  to  instil  religious  sentiments  into  their 
hearts,  but  also  to  improve  their  minds.  The  money  that 
others  waste  upon  their  childrens'  pride  and  extravagancies,  1 
would  lay  out  in  valuable  books  for  them.  And  besides,  L 
would  use  my  best  skill  to  teach  them  a  decent,  an  amiable, 
and  agreeable  behaviour.  1  would  also  allow  them,  at  pro- 
per times,  to  visit  such  of  their  companions  as  were  discrete  iu 
their  deportment,  and  religiously  disposed  ;  and  I  would  teach 
them  to  be  endearing  in  their  carriage  toward  all.  Nor  do  I 
doubt  but  that  in  this  method  of  education,  they  would  soot) 
find  such  sensible  advantages,  as  would  effectually  convince 
them  that  dancing  is  not  at  all  needful  to  learn  them  polite 
behaviour,  or  to  fit  them  for  a  most  agreeable  conversation 
among  the  better  sort  of  men.  But  then,  at  the  same  time,  I 
would  tell  them, 

1.  That  as  things  are  circumstanced,  it  is  impossible  to 
bring  dancing  under  such  regulations,  as  will  prevent  its  ten- 
dency to  be  greatly  detrimental  to  a  life  of  serious  piety.    Be- 
cause the  generality  of  young  people  are  so  very  vain,  and 
extravagant,  and  ungovernable. 

2.  I  would  tell  them,  that  if  they  should  go  to  balls,  then 
either  they  must,  contrary  to  their  own  consciences,  do  as 
others  do,  or  else,  in  being  singular  there,  be  more  ridiculous  : 
and  that  therefore,  it  is  for  their  interest  and  reputation  to 
keep  away.     And, 

3.  I  would  tell  them,  that  if  balls  were  brought  under  such 
regulations  as  aforesaid,  it  would  be  impossible  to  maintain 
them:  for  those  that  only  mean  to  gratify  the  flesh,  would 
not  like  them,  nor  go  to  them,  much  sooner  than  to  a  praying 
meeting.     And  others  that  only  mean  to  use  recreation  in  the 
fear  of  God  and  for  his  glory,  that  they  may  be  the  better  fit- 
ted for  the  great  duties  of  life  ;  these  would  presently  >ay, 
they  do  not  want  to  dance,  they  had  rather  read  and  pray,  and 
sing  psalms  together;  and  all  with  one  consent  would  be  for 
turning  their  frolics  into  meetings  for  religious  exercises. 


488  EARLY  P'lETY  RECOMMENDED. 

In  the  last  place, 

4.  I  would  tell  them,  that  ministers,  and  deacons,  and 
such  as  we  are  ready  to  hope  are  good  men,  are  not  our  rule  : 
nor,  will  it  be  inquired  at  the  day  of  judgment,  whether  you 
were  no  worse  than  the  children  of  such  and  such  men.  But 
the  question  will  be,  were  you  really  saints  in  Christ  Jesus  ? 
And  was  your  conversation  such  as  becometh  saints  \  Did 
you  live  like  children  of  the  light,  and  of  the  day  ;  having  no 
fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness  ?  Did  you 
live  soberly,  not  in  chambering  and  wantonness,  noi  in  sport 
and  vanity,  not  making  provision  for  the  flesh  to  fulfil  the 
lusts  thereof,  but  putting  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  having 
the  same  mind  in  you  as  was  in  him,  and  imitating  him  in 
your  whole  temper  and  conduct?  Did  you  live  by  the  faith 
of  the  Son  of  God,  and  show  your  faith  by  your  works  ?  Or 
did  you  live  like  the  children  of  this  world,  walking  alter  >our 
own  lusts,  in  the  way  of  your  own  hearts,  and  in  the  sight  of 
your  own  eyes,  even  as  others  ? 

Thus  in  a  kind,  and  rational,  and  Scriptural  way,  I  would 
deal  with  them,  and  endeavour  to  afford  them  full  conviction. 

But  I  hasten, 

2.  To  point  out,  very  briefly,  some  things  which  have  a  natu- 
ral tendency,  to  begft  and  cherish  a  sense  oj  God  in  the  heart : 
or  to  direct  you  to  the  means  instituted  by  God  for  that  pur- 
pose, and  in  the  use  of  which,  it  pleases  God,  of  his  sovereign 
grace,  and  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  to  grant 
the  necessary  influences  of  his  holy  Spirit  for  this  blessed  end. 

Be  much  in  reading  the  word  of  God,  the  holy  bible,  that 
best  of  books,  that  sacred  treasure  of  divine  knowledge. 
Spend  many  of  your  leisure  hours  in  this  proGtable  and 
delightful  employment.  And  let  your  minds  be  always  ta- 
ken up  with  the  great  things  therein  revealed  concerning  God 
and  Christ,  and  the  holy  Spirit  :  concerning  the  fall  of  man, 
and  the  way  of  recovery  opened  in  the-Gospel,  the  greatness  of 
the  salvation  by  Christ,  your  absolute  need  of  it,  and  your 
obligations  to  Christ  for  it;  concerning  death  and  judgment, 
heaven  and  hell,  and  eternity  :  and  while  \"ou  read,  labour 
for  a  realizing  sense  of  those  great  truths.  And  in  order  to 
this  be  much  in  secret  prayer,  in  close  meditation,  and  im- 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

partial  self-examination.     Daily  retire  into  your  closet,  and 
spend  many  an  hour  alone  in  these  religious  exercises.     And 
maintain  an  everlasting  watchfulness  over  your  hearts  to  keep 
out  vain   thoughts,  and    to   suppress   all   bad    inclinations. 
Moreover,  seek  out  a  serious  religious  companion,  and  make 
such  an  one  your  friend,  your  monitor,  and  helper :  and 
sometimes  spend  an  hour  with  him,  in  serious  discourse  to- 
gether.    Get  acquainted  with  your  pastor,  and  freely  open  to 
him  your  spiritual  concerns,  entreating  him  to  be  your  faith- 
ful guide.     Be  swift  to  hear,  and  take  httd  horcyou  hear,  that 
the  word  preached  may  profit  yon.     And  children,  obey  your 
parents  in  the  Lord ;  for  this  is  right.     Diligently  attend 
family-duties  every  day  ;  and  let  the  sabbath  of  the  Lord  be 
carefully  observed  by  you.     Be  diligent  in  the  use  of  all  the 
means  of  grace.     Be  resolute,  be  engaged,  let  no  time  run  to 
waste;  exert  yourselves  to  the  utmost,  in  striving  that  you 
may  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  and  escape  the  wrath  to  come. 
And  never  rest  in  any  thing  short  of  a  saving  conversion  to 
God,  nor  be  content  without  an  assurance  of  the  divine  fa- 
vour, and  a  life  of  communion  with  the  father,  and  with  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ.     In  a  word,  never  rest  satisfied  without 
obtaining  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  and  such  a  holy  heavenly 
temper  of  mind,  as  was  described  under  ihejirst  general  htad, 
when  I  showed  what  is  implied  in  remembering  God. 

Only  let  it  be  minded  here,  that  I  do  not  give  you  these 
directions,  under  a  notion  of  putting  you  upon  making  amends 
to  the  law  and  justice  of  God  for  your  past  sins,  by  your  re- 
pentance and  reformation,  and  of  recommending  yourselves 
to  the  divine  favour  by  any  works  of  righteousness  that  you 
can  do  :  nor  under  a  notion  of  your  having  ability  to  renew 
your  nature  unto  holiness,  by  the  exertion  of  your  own  pow- 
ers. No,  but  rather  under  a  notion,  that  in  the  use  of  these 
means,  you  may  come  to  be  convinced,  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
of  the  insufficiency  of  your  own  righteousness,  and  to  be 
made  sensible  of  your  spiritual  i m potency  ;  and  so  be  led  to 
see  your  need  of  both  righteousness  and  strength  from  Jesus 
Christ,  the  one  Mediator  and  only  Saviour  ;  in  whom  all 
fulness  dwells,  to  whom  you  must  look,  on  whom  you  must 
trust,  from  whom  yon  most  derive  all  things,  (John  xv.  I — 6. 
VOL.  in.  6*2 


4,0)0  EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

Rom.  x.  8,  4.)  in  the  diligent  and  constant  believing  use  of  all 
the  means  of  grace.     But  I  must  not  enlarge. 

In  the  second  place,  I  am  to  offer  some  arguments  or  mo- 
tives, to  encourage  and  persuade  young  people  to  the  pursuit 
of  early  piety.     I  have  already  shown  the  many  and  great 
obligations  that  lie  upon  you,  to  remember  God,  to  have  a 
sense  of  him  on  your  hearts,  even  so  as  to  be  divorced  from 
all  other  things,  and  entirely  devoted  to  him.     And  have 
showed,  that  those  obligations  are  absolutely  binding,  and  of 
everlasting  force.     And  so  1  have  considered  early  piety  as  a 
matter  of  duty.  But  now  I  come  to  view  the  mutter  in  a  differ- 
ent light,  to  consider  it  as  a  point  of  prudence,  a  matter  of  in- 
terest and  expediency.     For  it  is  not  only  your  duty,  O  young 
people !  early  to  devote  yourselves  to  God,  and  to  a  life  of 
strict  piety  ;  nor  only  a  duty  to  which  you  are  under  infinite 
obligations ;  but  it  is  also  your  wisdom,  as  it  is  for  your  inter- 
est ;  unspeakably  for  your  advantage :  more  for  your  interest, 
than  to  be  made  worth  thousands  a  year  :  more  for  your  inter- 
est, than  to  be  adopted  into  the  family  of  a  king  ;  yea,  more  for 
your  interest,  than  to  be  made  lords  of  all  this  lower  world. 
The  service  of  God  is  certainly  then  your  most  reasonable  duty. 
Let  it  be  particularly  considered  here, 
1.  There  in  an  unspeakable  pleasure  in  religion  itself,  ante- 
cedent to  all  other  considerations  ;  yea,  joy  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory.  (1  Pet.  i.  8.)  A  sinful  state  in  Scripture-account 
is  a  state  of  death,  but   to  be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and 
peace,  Rom.  viii.  0.     Yea,  it  is  eternal  life  begun  in  the  soul ; 
it  is  the  dawning  of  eternal  glory.     There  is  an  unspeakable 
pleasure  in  seeing  and  knowing  God  to  bejust  such  an  one  as 
he  is.     An  unspeakable  pleasure  in  having  a  sense  of  God  on 
the  heart;  of  his  all-seeing  eye  and  all-governing  hand,  and 
of  the  infinite  moral  excellency  of  his  nature,  discovered  in 
his  moral  government  of  the  world,  in  the  law  and  in  the 
Gospel,  in  the  nature  of  the  first  covenant  and  of  the  second. 
It  is  this  that  ravishes  all  the  heavenly  world,  and  makes 
them  in  ecstasy  cry  out,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  almigh- 
ty, the  whole  earth  is  full  of  thy  glory,  (Isa.  vi.  3.  Ilev.  iv.  8.) 
It  is  this  that  will  be  the  grand  foundation  of  the  blessedness 
of  angels  and  saints  to  all  eternity.  They  shall  see  God,  they 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMBNBEp. 

shall  behold  him  in  his  glory,  their  hearts  shall  be  everlast- 
ingly full  of  a  sense  of  his  transcendent  beauty.  (Mat.  v.  8. 
John  xvii.  3.  1  John  iii.  1,  2.)  The  moral  excellency  of  the 
divine  nature  gives  a  lustre  to  all  the  perfections  of  God, 
and  speaks  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  he  is  ;  and 
here  is  the  foundation  of  that  infinite  happiness  he  has  in  the 
enjoyment  of  himself.  It  is  this,  that  fills  all  heaven  with 
glory  ;  and  it  is  this,  that  makes  a  little  heaven  begin  to  dawn 
in  the  hearts  of  the  godly  here  on  earth.  Indeed,  a  true 
spiritual  sense  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ, 
is  the  beginning  of  heaven,  and  a  foretaste  of  eternal  happi- 
ness. And  therefore  in  Scripture  it  is  called  eternal  life.  (John 
xvii.  3.)  There  is  an  unspeakable  pleasure  in  being  divorced 
from  all  other  things,  and  in  cleaving  to  that  best  of  beings. 
It  was  so  sweet  to  the  Psalmist,  that  he  cries  out,  Whom  have 
lin  heaven  but  thee  ?  And  there  is  none  on  tarth  I  desire  be- 
sides thec,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25.  To  love  him,  to  delight  in  him,  to 
live  upon  him,  in  this  present  evil  world,  is  near  a-kin  to  hea- 
ven. To  be  transformed  into  his  image,  is  angelic  blessed- 
ness: to  be  entirely  devoted  to  him,  to  live  a  life  of  commu- 
nion with  him,  and  obedience  to  him,  affords  the  most  refined 
pleasure,  sweeter  than  the  honey,  yea,  than  the  honey  comb. 
In  a  word,  to  have  a  spirit  of  pride,  and  vanity  subdued  in 
us,  to  have  a  spirit  of  worldliness  and  sensuality  mortified,  and 
to  be  strictly  pious,  is  the  happiest  thing,  that  can  possibly  b<* 
had  in  this  present  world.  To  be  spiritually  minded,  is  life, 
and  peace.  Leave  therefore  the  cruel  slavery  of  sin,  the  vile 
servitude  of  gratifying  your  corruptions,  and  no  longer  love 
death.  But  come  now  and  be  blessed  ;  begin  now  to  enter 
into  the  joy  of  your  Lord.  He  that  commits  sin,  is  the  ser- 
vant of  sin  ;  but  if  you  will  be  Christ's  disciples,  you  shall  be 
free  indeed.  And  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God  is 
infinitely  preferable  to  the  licentious  liberty  of  the  children 
of  this  world.  His  yoke  is  easy,  his  burden  is  light:  wis- 
dom's ways  are  pleasant,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace.  It  is  a 
thousand  times  sweeter,  to  mourn  for  sin,  than  to  commit  it; 
to  be  weaned  from  the  world,  than  to  possess  it  all ;  to  have 
pride  mortified,  than  to  have  it  gratified  ;  to  enjoy  commu- 
nion with  God,  than  to  be  in  vain  company  ;  to  forgive  an 


EARLY    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

injury,  than  to  revenge  it ;  to  love  enemies,  than  to  hate  them. 
Yea,  the  seeming  pleasures  of  sin,  which  are  but  for  a  season, 
carry  a  sting  in  them,  and  are  so  many  keen  torments,  com- 
pared with  the  sweetness  there  is  in  the  ways  of'  God.  All 
the  generation  of  God's  children  can  witness  to  the  truth  of 
these  things.  .Therefore  remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the 
days  of  thy  youth  ;  and  so  begin  early  to  be  happy.  Besides, 

2.  Great  and  many  are  the  superadded  privileges  you  will 
be  entitled  unto,  if  you  indeed  become  religious  betimes.  Your 
sins  shall  be  forgiven  for  ever.  God  almighty  will  become  your 
everlasting  friend.  You  shall  be  taken  into  the  family  of  God, 
and  he  will  be  your  father  :  Christ  will  be  your  Saviour.  The 
Holy  Spirit  will  be  your  sanctifier.  He  that  governs  the 
whole  world,  will  be  your  powerful  guardian  and  protector. 
His  eye  will  be  over  you  for  good.  He  will  give  you  as 
much  of  the  good  things  of  this  world  as  he  thinks  best ;  and 
will  teach  you  to  choose,  that  he  should  be  your  continual 
Carver.  He  will  make  all  things  work  together  for  your  good  : 
He  will  train  you  up  for  eternal  glory  ;  and  at  last  bring  you 
to  his  heavenly  kingdom.  Instead  of  being  in  the  guilty,  des- 
titute, and  forlorn  state  of  nature,  you  shall  even  while  in  this 
world  have  a  God  to  go  to ;  an  almighty  all-sufficient,  infi- 
nitely glorious,  infinitely  gracious  God  and  Father,  to  go  to  ;  to 
go  to  under  all  spiritual  distresses,  and  under  all  outward  trials  : 
to  go  to  in  sickness,  and  when  you  come  to  die.  And  after 
death,  guardian  angels  will  convey  your  souls  to  the  world  of 
the  blessed.  And  Christ  will  own  you  as  his  members,  before 
all  the  heavenly  host.  And  God  will  openly  acknowledge 
you  for  his  children.  All  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  will  con- 
gratulate your  airival  there,  and  rejoice  over  you  as  joint-heirs 
with  them  of  eternal  glory.  And  here  shall  you  be  everlast- 
ingly and  perfectly  blessed,  in  the  0pen  vision  and  full  frui- 
tion of  God  and  the  Lamb. 

If  therefore  you  desire  heavenly  blessedness,  and  have  any 
relish  for  divine  pleasure,  if  you  have  a  heart  to  be  divinely  hap- 
py, in  time  and  to  eternity  ;  O  hearken,  this  day,  to  the  counsel 
in  ounext,  Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth, 

But  if  you  have  no  relish  for  spiritual  and  heavenly  bles- 
sings, no  regard  to  God,  nor  care  of  your  souls,  and  cannot 


EARLY  PIETY  RECOMMENDED.  40,3 

be  persuaded  by  any  argument  whatsoever ;  if  you  are  entire- 
ly attached  to  the  flesh  and  the  world,  and  resolutely  set  in 
your  ways  of  sin  and  vanity  ;  see,  hell  is  before  you  ;  under- 
stand what  you  do;  and  consider  what  will  be  your  end  ! 

Alas !  such  is  the  temper  of  mankind,  that  no  arguments, 
as  of  themselves,  will  effectually  divorce  them  from  their  lusts 
and  turn  them  to  God,  and  to  real  religion.  Their  alienation 
from  the  life  of  God,  their  enmity  to  his  holy  law  and  Gos- 
pel, is  unconquerable,  by  any  but  a  special  divine  influence, 
(Rom.  viii.  7-  1  Cor.  iii.  6,  7-)  And  since  this  is  the  case,  it 
is  infinitely  fit,  in  the  nature  of  things,  that  the  great  Gover- 
nor of  the  world,  if  he  does  save  any  of  this  guilty  rebellious 
race,  should  be  at  liberty  to  save  whom  he  pleases.  He  has 
declared  himself  reconcilable  to  any  that  will  return  to  him 
through  Jesus  Christ.  But  since  none  will  be  persuaded  to 
this,  since  none  will  do  this,  if  they  can  help  it,  he  is  certain- 
ly now  at  liberty  ;  he  may  let  sinners  take  their  course  and 
go  on  to  perdition,  if  he  pleases :  or,  he  may  have  mercy  on 
whom  he  will  have  mercy.  O  see  your  entire  dependance  on 
sovereign  mercy  for  salvation  ;  and  be  looking  diligently  lest 
you  fail  of  the  grace  oj  God,  by  resisting  the  holy  Spirit,  and 
wilfully  indulging  unbelief  and  impenitence. 

Young  people  fondly  flatter  themselves,  that  hereafter  they 
shall  have  a  better  time,  and  then  they  will  repent,  then  they 
will  believe  and  obey  the  Gospel :  and  so  they  quiet  their 
consciences  for  the  present,  and<  securely  give  way  to  delays 
from  time  to  time.  But,  alas  !  they  understand  not  what  it 
means  to  remtmbtr  their  Creator,  or  become  truly  religious  ; 
nor  how  averse  to  it  they  are,  as  of  themselves  :  nor  do  they 
consider,  that  this  very  temper  of  mind,  which  makes  them 
unwilling  to  turn  to  God  now,  will  always  do  so,  if  sovereign 
grace  do  not  over-rule  and  prevent  it.  They  imagine  not 
how  the  case  really  stands  ;  nor  do  they  once  glance  at  half 
the  misery  and  danger  attending  their  condition.  But  O  the 
safety  and  blessedness  of  such  as  are  early  seized  by  divine 
grace,  and  brought  to  an  early  acquaintance  with  God  in 
Christ !  Who  know  the  things  of  their  peace,  and  chojfse  the 
good  part ;  who  taste  the  sweetness  of  religior^iwrtf^and  are 
training  up  for  erernal  glory  in  the  world  to  come !  O  the 


494  EABLT    PIETY    RECOMMENDED. 

happy  condition  such  of  you  are  in  !  Adore  sovereign  and  dis- 
tinguishing mercy;  be  deeply  sensible  of  your  obligations  to 
God;  sing  the  praises  of  redeeming  love;  and  let  all  your 
days  be  devoted  to  him  who  has  called  you  by  his  grace,  who 
hath  delivered  you  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and  translated 
you  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son  ,  to  whom  be  dominion 
and  glory  for  erer.  AMEN. 


THE    GREAT   EVIL   OF   SIN, 

A9    IT   13 

COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD. 

A 

SERMON, 

PREACHED  IN  GOSHEN, 

AT   A   MEETING  OF   THE   CONSOCIATION    OF  LITCHFIELD  COCNTT,  IN  SAI* 
TOWN,  MAT  30,  1753. 


Numb.  xiv.  9.     Rebel  yc  not  against  the  LORD. 
Jer.  xliv.  4.     Oh,  do   not  this  abominable  thing  which  I  hate. 
Mai.  i.  14.     I  am  a  great  KING,  taith  the  LOUD  of  hosts,    and  my  name 
is  BBBADFOL  among  the  heathen. 


THE  GREAT  EVIL  OP  SIN, 

. 

AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD. 


PSAL.  li.  4. 

Against  thte,  thee  only,  hate  I  sinned. 

A.  SENSE  of  the  great  evil  of  sin,  is  essential  to  true  re- 
pentance. It  may  be  laid  down  as  a  general  maxim,  that 
"  we  cannot  be  suitably  affected  towards  things,  unless  we  see 
them  as  they  are."  Be  they,  on  the  one  hand,  ever  so 
amiable  and  lovely,  yet  if  their  beauty  is  not  seen,  our  hearts 
will  be  untouched.  Even  the  infinite  glory  and  excellence 
of  GOD  will  not  excite  our  esteem  and  love,  if  we  have  no 
sense  of  it :  and  let  the  moral  beauty  of  the  divine  govern- 
ment be  ever  so  great,  although  it  may  ravish  the  heavenly 
world  who  see  it,  yet  we,  while  blind  to  it,  shall  be  wholly 
unmoved.  And  be  the  Gospel-way  of  salvation,  by  free 
grace  through  Jesus  Christ,  ever  so  glorious,  yet  if  the  glo- 
ries of  it  are  not  discerned,  we  may  be  far  from  admiring 
that  divine  constitution.  So,  on  the  other  hand,  let  sin  be 
ever  so  great  an  evil,  yet  if  the  great  evil  of  it  is  not  seen,  we 
shall  never  be  suitably  affected  towards  it.  Though  it  de- 
serves to  be  hated  ever  so  much,  and  though  there  be  ever  so 
great  reason  that  we  should  be  humbled  and  abased  before 
God  on  the  account  of  it,  and  mourn  in  the  bitterness  of  our 
hearts  for  it,  and  be  afraid  of,  and  watch  against  it,  as  the 
greatest  of  evils  ;  yet  we  shall  not,  unless  it  be  seen  as  it  is. 
Did  we  see  it  perfectly  as  it  is,  we  should  feel  towards  it  per- 
fectly as  we  ought :  but  unless  we  see  it  in  some  measure  as 
it  is,  we  shall  feel  towards  it  in  no  measure  as  we  ought.  So 
that  a  sense  of  the  great  evil  of  sin  is  plainly  essential  to  true 
repentance.  And,  indeed,  it  is  that  from  which  repentance 
does  nextly  and  most  immediately  take  its  rise.  Love  to  God, 
faith  in  Christ,  and  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God  through  him, 
prepare  and  dispose  the  heart  to  mourn  for. sin :  but  it  is  a 
VOL.  in.  63 


49S  THE    GREAT    EVIL    OF    SIN, 

sense  of  the  great  evil  of  sin,  which  immediately  affects  the 
heart  with  sorrow,  and  humbles  and  abases  the  soul  before 
the  Lord.  My  sin  is  ever  before  me  ;  against  thee  have  I  sin- 
ned;  thou  art  just,  when  thou  speakest ;  have  mercy  upon  me, 
O  God.  So  also  St.  Paul ;  the  law  is  spiritual;  I  am  car- 
nal,  sold  under  sin  ;  Oh,  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall 
deliver  me  a  / 

Now, 

The  evil  of  sin  arises  from  our  obligations  to  do  otherwise. 
And  the  more  strongly  we  are  obliged  to  do  our  duty,  the 
more  wicked  is  it  in  us  to  neglect  it,  or  go  contrary  toil ;  and 
the  more  are  we  to  blame  ;  and  the  greater  cause  have  we  to 
be  sorry  and  penitent. 

We  may  be  under  various  kinds  of  obligations  to  the  prac- 
tice of  virtue.  The  honour  and  authority  of  God  may  oblige 
us;  the  welfare  of  our  fellow-creatures  may  oblige  us:  and 
our  own  present  and  future  happiness,  may  oblige  us  too  :  and 
therefore,  we  may  be  to  blame,  and  have  cause  of  repentance, 
on  several  accounts ;  and  that,  for  the  evil  contained  in  one  par- 
ticular action,  viewed  in  various  respects,  as  it  is ;  against 
God ;  our  fellow-men  ;  or  our  own  interest,  for  this  world 
and  the  next.  And  as  is  our  sense  of  these  things,  so  shall 
we  be  affected  ;  i.  e.  we  shall  be  sorry,  and  blame  ourselves 
accordingly. 

For  let  our  obligations  be  ever  so  great ;  yet,  if  they  are 
not  seen,  we  shall  not  feel  ourselves  obliged,  or  look  upon 
ourselves  to  blame,  when  we  do  wrong.  And  if  ever  we  do 
blame  ourselves  at  all,  it  will  be  only  as  we  have  gone  con- 
trary to  such  obligations  as  we  are  sensible  of.  Although 
we  may  be  to  blame,  in  other  respects ;  yet  we  shall  not 
blame  ourselves.  If  we  be  to  blame,  for  instance,  for  going 
contrary  to  the  honour  and  authority  of  God ;  yet  we  shall 
not  be  disposed  to  blame  ourselves  on  that  account,  unless 
we  are  sensible  how  that  the  "honour  and  authority  of  God 
did  oblige  us.  If  we  are  sorry  for  what  we  have  done,  at 
any  time,  it  will  be  only  on  such  accounts,  on  which  we  see 
we  have  done  wrong;  and  for  such  reasons,  for  which  we 
see  we  ought  to  have  done  otherwise.  Thus,  if  we  see  our 

o  Bom.  \ii.  14.  24. 


AS    COMMITTED    AGAINST    GOD. 

great  obligations  to  all  holiness  and  righteousness,  arising 
from  the  nature  of  God,  and  the  reasonableness  of  his  go- 
vernment, sin  will  accordingly  appear  as  an  infinite  evil. 
But  if  we  see  ourselves  under  no  obligations  to  God,  but 
merely  in  way  of  gratitude  for  the  kindnesses  we  have  receiv- 
ed, we  shall  feel  to  blame  for  our  sins,  only  as  they  are  in- 
stances of  ingratitude.  And  in  a  word,  in  what  respects  so- 
ever we  see  ourselves  obliged  to  do  right,  in  those  respects 
we  shall  feel  ourselves  to  blame  when  we  do  wrong ;  and 
that  in  exact  proportion  to  the  weight  with  which  a  sense 
of  our  obligations  lies  on  our  spirits. 

Hence, 

Persons  of  an  epicurean,  and  atheistical  temper,  who  see 
themselves  under  no  obligations  to  virtue,  but  merely  from 
present  self-interest,  as  a  virtuous  conduct  tends  to  their  pre- 
sent ease,  profit,  and  honour ;  if  they  neglect  their  duty,  and 
do  wrong,  they  will  blame  themselves  and  be  sorry,  only  be- 
cause they  have  hurt  themselves,  and  gone  contrary  to  their 
own  interest  for  this  world.  But  if  persons  have  some  belief 
of  a  future  state,  and  of  the  rewards  and  punishments  of  an- 
other life  ;  they  may  be  sorry  for  their  sins,  because  by  them 
they  have  forfeited  heaven,  and  exposed  themselves  to  hell. 
Or  if  they  are  under  the  influence  of  a  compassionate  temper, 
or  of  natural  affection,  and  have  injured  a  neighbour,  a  friend, 
or  near  relative  ;  nature  may  prompt  them,  on  that  account, 
to  be  sorry.  Or,  if  they  firmly  believe  that  God  loves  them, 
that  Christ  died  for  them,  and  that  they  are  made  heirs  of 
eternal  glory ;  and  see  that  by  their  sins,  they  have  been, 
guilty  of  great  ingratitude  towards  their  almighty  benefactor  $ 
they  may,  merely  from  natural  gratitude,  be  sorry  on  that 
account.  But  if  the  great  evil  of  sin,  as  it  is  AGAINST  A  GOD 
OP  INFINITE  GLORY,  be  not  seen  ;  they  will  not  mourn  for, 
sin  on  that  account.  And  yet  if  that  which  constitutes  the 
great  evil  of  sin  is  not  seen  ;  and  sin  is  not  hated  and  mourn- 
ed for,  upon  the  account  of  that  which  is  its  chief  and  prin- 
cipal malignity,  our  repentance  is  not  genuine.  It  is  of  im- 
portance, therefore,  that  we  know  wherein  the  great  evil  of 
sin  does  really  consist.  For  which  purpose,  let  us  attend  to 
the  words  of  ear  text,  which  contains  the  confession  of  a 


500  THE    GREAT    EVIL    OF    SIN, 

true  penitent,  and  exhibits  the  sentiments  of  a  contrite  heart. 
Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned. 

Where,  observe,  1.  The  particular  sins  referred  to  in 
these  words,  viz.  murder  and  adultery.  For  this  Psalm  was 
composed  after  that  Nathan  the  Prophet  came  to  David,  and 
reproved  him,  and  denounced  the  judgments  of  God  against 
him  for  those  sins.  And  in  this  Psalm  he  expressly  refers  to 
the  sin  of  murder,  which  he  had  been  guilty  of,  v.  14.  Deliver 
me  from  blood-guiltiness,  O  God  !  And  it  is  supposed,  he  has 
reference  to  his  other  sin,  in  those  words,  v.  10.  Create  in  me 
a  CLEAN  heart,  O  God!  Now  it  is  commonly  and  justly  ob- 
served, that  some  sins  are  immediately  committed  against 
GOD,  such  as  blasphemy,  idolatry,  &c.  while  other  sins  im- 
mediately respect  our  neighbour,  and  are  injurious  to  him, 
as  was  David's  murder  and  adultery.  And  yet,  it  seems,  if 
we  injure  our  neighbour,  God  is  sinned  against,  and  we  are 
to  blame  principally  on  that  account. 

For,  observe,  £.  The  great  evil  of  David's  sins,  as  set  forth 
in  his  confession,  and  that  which  made  them  so  exceeding 
heinous,  was,  that  they  were  committed  against  God.  slgainst 
thee,  thee  only,  (tViee  chiefly  and  principally,)  have  I  sinned. 
He  had  injured  Uriah,  and  done  wrong  on  that  account:  he 
had  exposed  himself  to  reproach  among  his  subjects,  and  to 
anguish  in  his  own  heart,  and  was  to  blame  for  bringing  so 
great  a  calamity  on  himself.  But  the  greatness  of  his  sin 
consisted  in  its  being  against  God.  And  this  seems  to  swal- 
low up  all  his  heart,  and  to  overwhelm  him  with  sorrow. 
Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  1  sinned.  And  on  this  account, 
his  sin  appeared  so  great  to  him,  that  he  was  ready  to  justify 
God,  in  the  dreadful  sentence  which  God  denounced  against 
him,  by  Nathan  the  prophet :  that  his  wives  should  be  defiled 
in  the  sight  of  the  sun,  the  sword  never  depart  from  his  house, 
and  that  his  child  should  die fc.  Thou  art  just  when  thon 
speakest,  and  clear  when  thoujudgest  c.  God  had  sent  Na- 
than to  charge  home  his  sin  and  guilt  upon  him,  and  to  tell 
him,  that  by  what  he  had  done  he  had  despised  the  Lord, 
and  despised  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  and  given  occa- 

b  2  Sam.  xli.  c  Psalm  li.  4. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD.  501 

sion  to  the  enemies  of  God  to  blaspheme  d.  He  had  despised 
the  LORD,  and  despised  the  commandment  of  the  LORD;  for 
God  had  said,  thou  shall  not  kill,  thou  shalt  not  commit  adul- 
tery ;  for  I  am  the  LORD.  But  David  had  practically  said, 
"  I  will  commit  adultery  with  Bathsheba,  and  gratify  my 
lust,  for  all  that  God  says :  and  I  will  murder  her  innocent 
husband  Uriah,  that  I  may  hide  ray  sin  and  shame  by  this 
wicked  means,  notwithstanding  the  divine  prohibition.  I  do 
not  care  for  God  nor  his  law,  or  authority,  so  much,  but  that 
1  will  go  through  with  iny  designs,  and  that,  let  come  what 
will ;  for  I  value  my  lust  more  than  God,  and  my  reputation 
more  than  his  honour ;  and  therefore  neither  God,  nor  his 
law,  authority,  or  honour,  will  I  regard."  This  was  the  lan- 
guage of  David's  conduct !  And  this  is  the  language  of  eve- 
ry sin !  And  thus  he  despised  the  commandment  of  God, 
and  despised  God  himself.  And  this  was,  with  good  reason, 
charged  home  upon  him,  as  the  great  evil  of  his  sin  ;  and  for 
which  God  would  severely  punish  him.  And  in  a  sense  of 
this,  with  a  broken  heart,  he  cries  out,  "  Against  thee,  thee 
only,  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in  thy  sight :  where- 
fore thou  art  just  when  thou  speakest,  and  clear  when  thou 
judgest."  And  thus  we  see  wherein  the  great  evil  of  David'* 
sins  did  consist,  both  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  to  his  own 
sense  and  apprehension  after  he  was  become  a  sincere  peni- 
tent. And  because  every  sin  is  as  really  committed  against 
God  as  those  were ;  and  so  what  was  true,  in  this  case,  will 
hold  true  in  all  other  cases  :  therefore  from  the  words  we 
may  make  this  doctrinal  observation,  viz. 

DOCTRINE. 

The  great  EVIL  of  every  SIN  consists  in  this,  that  it  is  com" 
mitted  against  GOD. 

Of  every  sin  ;  not  only  of  those  which  immediately  respect 
God  ;  as  blasphemy,  idolatry,  sabbath-breaking,  and  the  like ; 
but  also  of  those  which  immediately  respect  and  injure  our- 
selves cr  neighbours  ;  as  in  this  case  of  David, 

d  *  Sam.  xii.  9,  10-  14- 


502 

Their  great  evil ;  their  great  aggravation,  that  whida 
above  all  things  renders  us  to  blame,  and  deserving  of  pu- 
nishment for  our  sins,  is,  that  they  are  against  God.  They 
may  be  against  oui  own  interest  and  honour  in  this  world ; 
and  we  may  be  to  blame  on  that  account.  They  may  be 
against  our  welfare  in  the  world  to  come  ;  and  we  may  be  to 
blame  on  that  account.  They  may  be  against  our  neigh- 
bour's good,  for  time,  or  for  eternity,  or  both  ;  and  we  may 
be  to  blame  in  that  respect.  But  this  is  the  great  evil  of  sin, 
that  it  is  against  God. 

Some  assert,  that  our  great  obligation  to  virtue  arises  from 
its  tendency  to  our  own  particular  happiness  :  and  that  there- 
fore the  great  evil  of  sin  consists  in  its  tendency  to  our  own 
particular  misery.  Others  maintain,  that  our  great  obliga- 
tion to  virtue  arises  from  its  tendency  to  promote  the  public 
good  :  and  consequently  the  great  evil  of  sin  must  consist  in 
its  tendency  to  injure  the  public.  But  the  Scripture-scheme 
is  different  from  both  :  for  according  to  that,  it  seems,  our 
great  obligations  to  virtue  must  arise  from  GOD  ;  because  it- 
is  plain,  in  Scripture-account,  the  great  evil  of  sin  consists  in 
its  being  against  God.  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned. 

Here  I  will  attempt  to  show, 

I.  How,  and  in  what  respect,  sin  is  against  GOD. 

II.  How  great  an  evil  it  is  on  that  account. 

III.  That  this  is  the  great  etil  of  sin. 

Which  heads  being  gone  through,  I  shall  offer  some  re- 
marks, and  then  apply  the  whole  to  our  own  use. 

I  am  to  show, 

I.  How,  and  in  what  respect,  sin  is  against  GOD. 

And  here, 

1.  Sin  is  contrary  to  the  nature  of  God.  A  sinful  nature 
and  a  holy  nature  are  in  direct  opposition ;  they  are  a  per- 
fect contrariety  to.  each  other.  "The  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God  e.  And  sin  is  that  abominable  thing  which  God's 
soul  abhors  f.  The  holy  One  of  Israel,  is  a  Being  of  infinite 
understanding,  and  of  perfect  rectitude  ;  and  has  a  complete 
and  comprehensive  view  of  all  things;  and  in  all  cases  sees 
what  is  right,  and  fit,  and  beautiful  to  be  done ;  how  the  DEI- 

e  Rom.  yiii.  7.  f  Jer.  xliy.  4. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD. 

jr  v  should  be  loved  and  honoured  in  the  world  which  be  has 
made ;  and  how  his  creatures  and  subjects  should  live  toge- 
ther iu  mutual  love  and  benevolence,  and  not  an  unjust  or  cruel 
act  be  ever  done  throughout  all  his  dominions.  And  as  God 
sees  what  is  right,  and  fit,  and  beautiful,  and  what  is  contra- 
ry; so  he  is  accordingly  affected  towards  things.  He  loves 
righteousness,  and  hates  iniquity  *.  Let  God  be  esteemed, 
reverenced,  honoured,  and  obeyed :  let  love  and  good-will 
prevail,  and  be  established  among  his  subjects.  Let  every 
thing  of  a  contrary  savour  be  eternally  banished  his  domin- 
ions ;  and  God  will  be  well  pleased  :  but  if  any  dishonour  is 
done  to  the  DEITY,  or  injury  to  our  fellow-subjects,  nothing 
can  displease  him  more :  for  there  is  nothing  he  hates  like 
sin  :  it  is  the  abominable  thing  which  his  soul  hates.  Sin  is 
more  odious  and  detestable  to  him,  than  the  most  abominable 
thing  on  earth  is  to  us.  His  aversion  to  it  is  vehement  beyond 
the  conception  of  any  finite  mind.  His  aversion  to  it  is  ab- 
solutely infinite.  In  this  respect,  therefore,  sin  is  against 
God.  It  is  a  going  directly  contrary  to  his  nature ;  and  that 
in  the  most  tender  point ;  in  a  thing  which  comes  nearest 
his  heart.  Nothing  is  so  cross  to  him,  nothing  can  disoblige 
him  so  much,  or  displease  him,  or  grieve  his  heart,  like  this. 
As  when  a  man's  wife  departs  from  him,  and  commits  whore- 
dom with  another  man,  and  breaks  his  heart  by  her  ill  car- 
riage ;  so,  says  God,  /  am  broken  with  their  whorish  heart h. 
And  therefore,  says  he  to  his  beloved  people,  If  ye  tcill  not 
for  all  this  hearken  unto  me,  but  WALK  CONTKARY  unto  me  : 
then,  such  a  conduct  would  be  so  intolerably  provoking,  I 
will  not,  I  cannot  bear  it,  but  /  rcill  WALK  CONTRARY  unto 
you  also  in  FURY  '.  But  a  sinful  conduct  is  called  a  walking 

g  Psalm  xiv.  7. 

h  Ezek.  vi.  9.  /  am  broken  inith  their  vhorish  heart.  From  the  covenant- 
relation  between  God  and  his  people  Israel,  they  arc  said  to  be  married  untt 
/u'm,  Jer.  Hi.  14.  and  hence,  their  going  from  God  to  idols  is  called  whoredom. 
And  to  prefer  an  idol  before  the  true  God  was  a  very  provoking  thing  :  there- 
fore he  says,  /  am  broken  with  their  -sohorish  heart.  But  to  prefer  a  vile  lust 
before  God  seems  to  be  in  like  manner  provoking  :  it  is  a  kind  of  spiritual  idola- 
try. And  yet  this  is  done  in  every  set  of  sin.  No  sin  can  be  committed,  but 
Ood  is  grieved.  Eph.  iv.  30. 
i  Lev.  xxvi.  27,  28. 


504  THE  GREAT    EVIL  OF  SIN, 

contrary  to  God,  in  Scripture,  not  only  because  it  is  thus  in 
direct  contrariety  to  the  divine  nature  :  but  also  because, 

2.  Sin  is  against  the  law,  authority,  and  government  of 
almighty  GOD;  for,  as  God  hates  sin  with  an  infinite  hatred ; 
so  he  has  with  the  utmost  engagedness  forbidden  it :  saying, 
Cursed  is  every  one  that  continues  not  in  ALL  things  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law,  to  do  them*.  As  Governor  of  the 
world,  he  sets  up  himself  against  sin  ;  forbidding  it  with  all 
his  authority,  and  standing  ready  to  punish  it  with  all  his 
power:  and  it  is  even  one  main  end  of  his  universal  govern- 
ment, to  discountenance  and  suppress  it,  throughout  all  his 
dominions. 

No  doubt,  almighty  GOD  has  right  to  govern  the  world  : 
for  originally  he  is  absolute  LORD  of  it;  and  by  NATURE  he 
is  GOD  MOST  HIGH  :  and  his  GODHEAD,  and  his  LORDSHIP, 
give  him  an  undoubted  right  of  government.  And  accord- 
ingly he  has  taken  the  throne,  set  himself  up  at  the  head  of 
the  universe,  and  undertaken  the  government  of  all  things, 
and  especially  of  the  whole  system  of  intelligences. And, 

No  doubt,  his  government  is  WORTHY  to  be  universally 
submitted  unto:  for  it  is  all  perfect  and  glorious.  His  laws 
and  his  dispensations  are  perfect  in  wisdom,  rectitude,  and 
goodness:  and  even  as  he  himself  is  infinitely  worthy  of  all 
love  and  veneration,  so  that  his  very  Being  affords  infinite 
ground  of  joy  among  his  creatures  ;  even  so  his  government 
is  just  like  himself,  and  exhibits  his  very  image,  and  is  WOR- 
THY universally  to  be  rejoiced  in.  As  it  is  written,  the  Lord 
reigneth  ;  let  the  earth  rejoice J. 

Wherefore  it  is  the  fittest,  and  happiest  thing  in  the  world, 
to  be,  and  do,  just  what  he  requires ;  and  in  his  favour,  and 
under  the  protection  of  his  almighty  arm,  there  must  be  the 
most  absolute  safety  and  security.  So  that  it  might  reasona- 
bly have  been  expected,  ^that  all  his  subjects,  throughout  all 
his  dominions,  would  join  to  say,  LET  GOD  REIGN  FOR 
EVER;  and  that  they  would  all,  with  one  heart,  have  exult- 
ed at  the  thought  of  being  in  subjection  to  such  a  KING. 

But  the  sinner  comes  in,  and  dissents  from  his  whole  con- 
stitution, and  that  both  in  heart  and  life.  "  As  for  his  law," 

k  Gal.  iii.  10.  /  Psalm  xevii.  I.- 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD.  50J 

•ays  lie,  "  I  do  not  like  it,  and  will  not  obey  it.  As  for  his 
authority,  I  do  not  own  it,  and  will  not  regard  it.  As  for  his 
universal  government  and  glorious  kingdom,  it  is  not  to  my 
mind  ;  I  revolt ;  I  will  not  have  him  to  reign  over  mcm.  I 
can  prescribe  better  rules  to  live  by.  I  will  not  be  dependent 
on  him,  nor  in  subjection  to  him."  Thus  the  sinner  revolts 
from  his  government,  casts  off  his  authority,  breaks  his  law, 
and  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  rebels  against  the  Lord. 
For,  in  Scripture,  THIS  is  always  considered  as  GOD'S  WORLD; 
He  our  rightful  LORD  and  KING  ;  and  all  our  duty  is  enjoin- 
ed, and  all  sin  is  forbidden,  by  his  AUTHORITY  ;  and  there- 
fore every  act  of  sin  is  considered  as  an  act  of  rebellion 
against  the  Lord,  and  sinners  have  the  character  of  rebels". 

Now,  inasmuch  as  God  stands  ready,  at  the  head  of  the 
universe,  to  employ  his  infinite  wisdom  and  almighty  power, 
to  discountenance  all  rebellions,  and  suppress  and  crush  all 
obstinate  rebels,  and  maintain  good  government  throughout 
his  dominions ;  so  that,  things  being  thus,  there  is  no  way 
for  the  obstinate  rebel  to  escape  an  eternal  overthrow,  and 
everlasting  shame  and  contempt :  it  is  therefore  in  his  heart, 
to  wish  the  ALMIGHTY  dethroned,  his  whole  government 
overturned,  and  the  sword  of  justice  wrested  from  him.  And 
had  he  sufficient  power  on  his  side,  the  latent  temper  of  his 
heart  would  soon  form  into  tiie  terrible  resolution ;  nor  would 
he  delay  venturing  on  the  dreadful  attempt.  Thus,  sin  is 
against  the  law,  authority,  and  universal  government  of  al- 
mighty GOD.  Hence,  God  esteems  the  sinner  as  his  enemy  : 
and  accordingly,  sinners  are  called  enemies  to  God  in  Scrip- 
ture °.  And  are  said  to  be  even  enmity  against  him  P.  And 

m  Luke  rix.  14.     n  Deut.  ix.  24.  Ezek.  xx.  8.  13.  21.     o  Rom.  v.  10.  Col.  i.  21. 

/>  Rora.  viii.  7.  The  carnal  mind  it  enmity  against  God.  N.  B.  The 
apostle  means  here  to  give  the  character  of  every  Cliristless  sinner.  For  to  be 
carnally  minded,  and  to  be  in  the  flesh,  it  one  and  the  same  thing,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  apostle  ;  as  is  evident  from  ver.  8.  But  he  looks  upon  all  as  being 
m  the  Jtesh,  who  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  dwelling  in  them  ;  as  is  plain 
from  ver.  9.  And  those  who  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  are  none  of  ht», 
ver.  9.  Every  Christless  sinner  is  therefore  in  thefesh,  and  at  enmity  against 
God.  This  is  the  doctrine  of  St.  Paul.  And  just  thus  God  looks  upon  every 
unregenerate  sinner  ;  however  they  look  upon  themselves.  And  no  wonder ; 
for  let  subjects  conduct  so  towards  an  earthly  prince,  as  all  unregeneitte  sinners 

VOL.  in.  64 


506  THE    GREAT  EVtL  OF  SIN,, 

they  are  not,  says  the  apostle,  subject  to  the  divine  law,  nei- 
ther indeed  can  be. 

And  this  leads  tne  to  add,  that, 

3.  Sin  t*  against  the  Being  of  God.  For,  since  God  is  at 
ihe  head  of  the  universe,  (as  was  before  said,)  and  unchange- 
ably determined  to  maintain  good  government  throughout 
all  his  dominions,  and  possessed  of  an  almighty,  irresistible 
power ;  there  is  no  hope  that  the  obstinate  rebel  should  es- 
cape punishment  so  long  as  God  lives :  for  so  long  as  God 
lives,  God  will  reign :  and  so  long  as  God  reigns  supreme, 
obstinate  rebels  cannot  escape  :  for  God's  determination  to 
punish  sin  is  immutable  as  his  very  being  :  and  therefore,  if 
God  lives,  the  impenitent  sinner  must  die.  But  those  who 
are  enemies  to  God,  had  rather  there  should  be  no  God,  thart 
that  themselves  should  be  punished. 

When  once  a  creature  has  become  so  vile  and  impious,  as 
to  revolt  from  the  government  of  the  MOST  HIGH,  and  begin 
rebellion,  and  enter  the  lists  against  the  ALMIGHTY  ;  if  left 
to  himself,  without  any  restraint,  or  hope  of  mercy,  (and  we 
know  God  was  not  obliged  to  open  a  door  of  hope  to  any 
rebel  in  his  dominions,)  and  if  armed  with  sufficient  power 
to  bear  down  all  before  hiui,  we  may  easily  guess  to  what 
length  he  would  carry  things.  The  same  disposition  which 
moved  him  to  begin  rebellion,  would  naturally  excite  him  to 
go  on.  By  his  first  act  of  rebellion,  his  life  and  soul  are  for 
ever  forfeited,  according  to  law,  and  might  justly  have  re- 
mained so.  To  repent,  and  undo  what  he  had  done,  and 
humble  himself,  and  su«  for  mercy,  is  what  a  sinner,  in  such 
a  case,  would  n«ver  do.  And  as  to  the  threatened  punish- 
ment, he  could  never  think  of  bearing  that.  He  would  ven- 
ture upon  the  boldest  and  the  most  DREADFUL  deeds,  but 
that  he  would  carry  his  point :  deeds  almost  too  dreadful  to 
think  of,  and  hardly  fit  to  hint  at.  Whosoever  hatfth  his 
brother,  is  a  murderer*,  as  it  is  written  ;  and  would  therefore 
murder  his  brother,  if  left  to  his  own  heart,  without  any  re- 
straint, and  having  sufficient  ability  and  opportunity  in  his 

do  towards  God,  and  their  prince  would  look  upon  tliem  as  enemies.     Bead 
Luke  xix.  U.  27. 
9,  1  John  iii.  15. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  COD.  507 

hands  :  what  then  would  the  wretch  do,  who  hates  his  Maker, 
is  an  enemy  to  his  God,  and  even  enmity  against  him  !  We 
see  how  a  guilty  world  has  treated  the  SON  of  God;  we  sec 
how  they  have  treated  the  prophets  and  apostles  r.  And  we 
may  easily  guess  what  dreadful  work  there  would  be,  were 
the  sinner  an  over-match  for  OMMPOTENCY.  Suchisthe 
inexpressible  muligniiy  of  sin. 

4.  Sin  is  against  the  honour  of  God.  It  is  even  a  despis- 
ing the  Lord,  and  a  treating  the  MOST  HIGH  with  contempt. 
All  his  perfections  are  despised  ;  and  considered  as  our  Crea- 
tor, Preserver,  Governor,  Redeemer,  and  the  fountain  of  all 
good,  he  is  despised  by  sin. 

Hear  the  contemptuous  language  of  the  sinner's  conduct : 
"  God  sees  you,  O  sinner  !  and  will  you  dare  to  transgress  ?M 
Yes,  his  all-seeing  eye  shall  not  terrify  me.  "  God  is  near  at 
hand  !  you  are  in  his  very  presence  !  O  sinner,  will  you  ven- 
ture to  offend  ?"  Yes,  God's  presence  shall  not  restrain  me  ; 
I  do  not  regard  him  so  much. — "  But  he  is  girt  witli  strength, 
and  hath  an  almighty  arm  ;  and  you  are  but  a  worm,  with- 
out strength,  and  can  make  no  resistance  !  will  you  dare  to 
provoke  him  to  jealousy  ?"  Yes,  1  will  do  as  I  please,  let 
him  do  his  worst.  "  But  remember,  he  is  of  purer  eyes  than 
to  behold  iniquity  !  Oh,  therefore  do  not  that  abominable 
thing,  which  his  soul  hates  !"  "  I  care  not  what  he  loves,  nor 
what  he  hates  :  I  will  please  myself,  let  him  take  it  as  he  will." 
"  But  consider,  he  is  unchangeably  determined  to  render  to 
every  one  according  to  their  deeds,  to  him  that  doeth  evil, 
tribulation  and  wrath  !  and  who  can  stand  before  him,  when 
once  he  is  angry  !  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire  !  There- 
fore, O  sinner,  forbear  !"  "  No,  I  will  not  be  restrained  :  I 
will  gratify  my  lusts,  at  all  adventures ;  for  I  regard  not  his 
threats."  •'  But  he  is  a  Being  of  infinite  goodness  and  mer- 
cy, patience  and  forbearance ;  and  this  should  lead  you  to  a 
better  mind,  O  sinner  !"  "  No,  no,  I  despise  his  goodness, 
long-suffering,  and  forbearance ;  and  I  can  be  hard-hearted 
enough  to  go  on,  in  spite  of  all  his  tender  mercies."  "  But, 
O  sinner,  infinite  wisdom  pronounces,  that  this  your  way  is 
your  folly  !  and  cries,  Turn,  O  turn  at  my  reproof !  lest  other- 

r  M»U.  XXt.  35— 99 .     Matt,  xxiii.  29— $7. 


THE    GREAT  EVIL  OF  SIN, 

wise,  ere  long,  I  laugh  at  your  calamity,   and  mock  when 
your  fear  comes !  and  will  you  not  be  dictated  by   the  infi- 
nitely wise  God  ?"     "  No,  no,  I  know  what  is  best  for  myself, 
and  that  better  than  he  does ;  and  I  choose  to  be  my  own. 
director,  and  to  walk  in  my  own  ways.''     u  But  is  he  not  the 
God  that  made  you  ?  Have  not  his  hands  formed  you  ?  Are 
you  then  your  own  ?  Are  you  not  the  Lord's  ?  And  ought 
you  not  therefore  to  be  for  him  ?"     "  I  renounce  the  God 
that  made  me  :  I  disown  his  right  to  me  :  I  will  not  be  for 
him,  but  for  myself;  for  I  will  please  myself,  although  he  is 
grieved."     "  But  consider,  he  has  nourished  and  brought  you 
up  tenderly,  as  his  own  child  ;  and  fed  and  clothed  you  all 
your  life  long  !  and  will  you  be  more  sottish  than  the  ox  and 
the  ass  ?"     "  Yes,  yes,  after  all,  I  will  rebel  against  him.'' — 
"  But  how  can  you  answer  it  ?  for  he  is  your  sovereign  LORD 
and  KING,  you  are  under  his  authority,  bound  by  his  law, 
and  accountable  at  his  tribunal :  and  you  know  what  threat- 
enings  he  has  given  out.     And  now,  if  you  have  any  regard 
for  him,  in  any  respect,  how  dare  you  go  on  ?"     "  These 
things  move  me  not.     1  will  walk  in  the  ways  of  my  own 
heart:  nor  will  I  be  controlled.     I  know  not  the  Lord,  nor 
will  I  obey  him.     And  in  the  midst  of  all  his  thunders,  I  can 
be  at  ease  in  Zion,  and  chant  to  the  sound  of  the  viol."  "  But 
if  you  go  on  thus  to  despise  the  Lord,  and  to  despise  his  law, 
authority,  and  government ;  what  will  be  your  end,  O  sinner  ! 
will  not  his  wrath  wax  hot,  and  smoke  against  you,  and  con- 
sume you  ?  Consider,  therefore,  how  that  after  all  this  wick- 
edness he  offers  to  be  reconciled  through  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
invites  you  to  repentance  !  TURN  YE,  TURN  YE,  WHY  WILL 
YE  DIE!  and  offers  to  be  your  God,  and  Father,  and  por- 
tion.     And  now,  what  answer  do  you  make,  O  sinner !" 
"  Why,  look  on  us,  and  observe  our  conduct,  and  you  and  all 
the  world  may  see,  that  wtvmake  light  of  it,  and  go  our  ways 
one  to  his  farm,  and  another   to  his  merchandize  :  whereby 
we  plainly  declare,  that  we  despise  the  grace  of  the  Gospel, 
and  had  rather  have  the  world  for  our  portion  than  God  him- 
self."    Thus  God,  in  every  point  of  light,  is  disesteemed,  dis- 
respected, despised,  and  even  treated  with  contempt  in  the 
common  conduct  of  the  sinner. 


AS  COMMITTED  AOAINST  GOD.  509 

Any  vile  lust  is  preferred  before  all  the  fulness  of  God. 
Those  things  and  ways  which  please  the  devil,  God's  invete- 
rate enemy,  and  the  most  malicious  and   hateful  being  in  the 
universe,  are  chosen,  before  those  things  and  ways  which 
please  Jehovah,  the  greatest  and  best  of  Beings.     His  au- 
thority is  trampled  on,  at  whose  presence  the  mountains  melt, 
and  the  earth  trembles.     A  worm  of  the  dust  sets  up  himself 
above  the  most  high  GOD,  and  his  will  above  God's,  and  his 
interest  above  God's  glory.     If  God  offers  heaven,  sin  des- 
pises it :  if  he  threatens  hell,  sin  disregards  it :  if  he  pleads 
the  dying  love  of  his  SON,  and  the  riches  of  his  grace,  and 
beseeches  the  sinner  to  be  reconciled,  sin  slights  it  all  :  or  if 
he  commands  men  to  do  their  duty  to  one  another,  sin  re- 
gards it  not:  and  that  notwithstanding  his  right  to  us  as  his 
creatures,  and  authority  over  us  as  his  subjects,  and  our  obli- 
gations to  him  as  the  LORD  OUR  GOD.     And  thus  the  MOST 
HIGH  is  by   worms  of  the  dust  treated  with  disrespect  and 
contempt,  and  that  to  his  face,  and  in  the  sight  of  the  sun, 
in  his  own  world,  before  his  creatures,  before  his  friends  and 
enemies  ;  tending  to  bring  a  public  odium  upon  him  and  his 
ways,  and  to  countenance  and  encourage  rebellion  through- 
out all  his  dominions,  and  sink  him  and  his  government  in- 
to universal  discredit,  and  bring  an  everlasting  reproach  upon 
his  great  name.     Thus  sin  is  against  the  honour  of  God. — 
And  upon  this  view  of  things,  may  it  not,  in  the 

5th,  and  last  place,  justly  be  inquired,  whether  sin  be  not 
against  the,  happiness  q/'Goo,  and  whether  it  does  not  open 
such  a  scene  to  his  vieze,  as  naturally  tends  to  grieve  and  dis- 
tress such  a  Being  as  God  is  9 

To  look  down  from  heaven,  the  throne  of  his  holiness  and 
glory,  upon  this  world,  which  lie  hus  made  for  himself;  and 
survey  all  mankind,  by  nature  his  creatures,  by  right  his  sub- 
jects, designed  to  show  forth  his  praise ;  and  behold  and  see 
how  they  are  revolted  from  his  government,  turned  enemies 
to  his  majesty,  and  combined  together  in  rebellion  against 
his  crown  and  dignity.  They  are  set  in  a  way  which  is  not 
good,  a  way  most  contrary  to  his  heart,lull  of  impiety  towards 
God,  and  injustice  and  cruelty  towards  one  another.  They 
disregard  his  laws,  trample  under  foot  his  authority,  despise 


510  THE  GREAT    EVIL  OF  SIN, 

his  goodness,  and  bid  defiance  to  his  vengeance.  And  thev 
are  so  much  against  him,  that  were  their  influence  and  pow- 
er sufficient  to  carry  the  point,  they  would  soon  take  the 
field.  The  tendency  of  their  common  conduct  is,  to  de- 
throne his  majesty,  to  overturn  his  government  of  the  uni- 
verse, to  bring  him  into  the  deepest  contempt,  and  every 
thing  that  is  right  and  good  into  the  utmost  disgrace,  and  to 
introduce  disorder,  confusion,  and  misery  into  his  dominions, 
and  rebellion  which  should  spread  like  a  contagious  pestilence 
throughout  all  his  kingdoms,  until  all  his  subjects  should  re- 
volt, and  all  join  to  treat  him  with  hatred  and  contempt,  and 
even  wish  him  not  to  be. 

And  if  the  sun  in  the  natural  system  should  be  extinct, 
and  all  the  light  turned  into  darkness,  and  the  whole  natural 
word  flung  into  the  utmost  oonfusion,  every  orb  displaced, 
every  thing  turned  upside  down,  it  would  not  represent  halt' 
so  dreadful  and  distressing  a  scene,  as  would  immediately 
be  opened  to  view,  could  sin,  without  control,  and  with  power 
irresistible,  bear  down  all  good  and  right  before  it,  and  rise 
up  to  all  to  that  height  of  wickedness  and  ruin,  to  which  it 
naturally  tends.  And  would  not  such  a  moral  system  of  in- 
telligences exhibit  to  view  a  sight  infinitely  distressing  to  such 
a  Being  as  God  is,  were  it  beyond  his  power  and  wisdom 
ever  to  regulate  things  ?  But  to  such  a  pass  sin  tends  to  bring 
the  moral  world. 

So  far  as  we  are  able  to  conceive,  it  seems  essential  to  eve- 
ry intelligent  being,  to  be  liable  to  mental  pain  and  distress, 
when  they  are  crossed  in  the  most  tender  point;  when  their 
nature  and  will,  interest  and  honour,  and  every  thing  that  is 
dear  to  them,  is  counteracted  and  despised,  and,  as  it  were, 
trampled  under  foot :  and  they  in  the  mean  time  unable  ever 
to  regulate  things.  So  it  is  evidently  with  mankind  ;  with 
bad  and  good.  Ahab  took  tp.  his  bed,  and  refused  to  ear, 
because  Naboth  denied  him  his  vineyard*.  Hainan  was 
grieved  to  the  heart,  because  Mordecai  would  not  bow  to 
him1.  The  chief  priests  were  in  anguish,  because  the  apos- 
tles preached  Jesus,  and  the  resurrection,  and  Jilted  Jerusa- 
lem with  their  doctrine u.  And  rivers  of  waters  ran  down 

*  1  Kings  xxi.  4.  t  Esth.  iii.  5.  «  Acts  iv.  2.  and  v.  28. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD.  511 

David's  eyes,  because  men  kept  not  God's  law ;  for  that  was 
a  tender  point  with  him  *.  And  Jeremiah  was  ready  to  be 
-o  afflicted,  if  the  Jews  would  not  hearken  to  their  duty,  as 
in  secret  placts  to  weep  for  their  pride  ?.  And  so  it  was  with 
the  man  Christ  Jesus :  he  was  grieved,  and  distressed  at  the 
hardness  of  men  s  hearts  z,  and  wept  over  the  obstinate  Jews  *. 

And  it  is  remarkable,  that  in  Scripture,  God  is  constantly 
represented  as  being  affected  in  the  same  manner  as  men 
are ;  and  such  words  and  phrases  are  used,  as  denote  painful 
and  distressing  sensations,  in  order  to  set  forth  how  he  is  af- 
fected with  the  vile  conduct  of  his  creatures.  He  is  said  to 
be  grieved*  wearied,  to  be  made  angry,  to  be  provoked  to 
wrath,  to  be  vexed  b;  forty  years  long  was  I  grieved  with  this 
generation,  says  God,  referring  to  the  perverse  conduct  of 
the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  ;  unto  whom,  says  he,  /  swore 
in  my  wrath,  that  they  should  not  enter  into  my  rest c.  And 
again,  /  am  broken  with  their  whorish  heart d.  And  I  am 
pressed  under  you,  as  a  cart  is  pressed  that  is  full  of  sheaves*. 
All  which  are  strong  expressions,  as  used  among  men,  to  de- 
note and  set  forth  pain,  and  distress  of  heart,  at  the  sight  of 
something  exceeding  grievous. 

Not  that  we  are  to  suppose,  that  he,  who  is  over  all,  God 
blessed  for  ever,  is  indeed  really  pained  and  distressed  at  the 
sight  of  the  shocking  conduct  of  his  rebellious  creatures. — 
For,  although  he  has  a  full  comprehensive  view  of  the  whole 
of  it ;  yet,  at  the  same  time,  he  as  plainly  foresees  to  what  a 
result  and  issue  all  things  will  finally  be  brought,  by  his  in- 
finite wisdom  and  almighty  power :  whereby  his  authority 
and  government  will  be  but  the  more  established  throughout 
all  his  dominions,  and  his  name  and  his  law  but  the  more 
revered.  And  although  a  number  of  obstinate  rebels  will  be 
eternally  miserable,  under  the  punishment  they  justly  deserve ; 
yet,  in  the  whole,  God  will  be  more  glorious,  and  perhaps 
the  system  more  happy  too,  than  if  sin  had  never  been  per- 
mitted, and  misery  had  been  for  ever  unknown.  Such  pow- 
er and  authority  has  he  over  all  things  to  order  and  over-rule, 
and  such  is  his  wisdom,  and  such  his  holiness,  justice,  and 

x  Psalm  cxix.  136.     y  Jer.  xiii.  17.      z  Markiii.  5.      a  Lukexix.  41. 
*  Isai.  fcuii.  10.      c  Pulra  xcv.  10,  11.      d  Bzek.  vi.  9.    e  Arao«  ii.  13. 


Sl£  THE  GREAT  EVIL  OF  SIX,       . 

goodness,  that  he  both  knows  he  can,  and  knows  he  will, 
finally  bring  good  out  of  evil,  light  out  of  darkness,  order  out 
of  disorder,  and  holiness,  harmony,  and  peace,  out  of  all  the 
sin,  confusion,  and  uproar ;  and  all  that  has  happened  shall, 
through  a  long  eternity,  serve  as  a  means,  in  the  sight  of  all 
worlds,  to  establish  his  throne,  confirm  his  government,  make 
his  law  honourable,  his  justice  appear  tremendous,  his  grace 
glorious,  and  sin  an  exceeding  great  and  dreadful  evil.— 
Therefore  he  enjoys  a  perfect  tranquillity,  and  an  undisturbed 
felicity,  although  a  world  of  wickedness  lies  open  to  his  view, 
and  millions  of  things  are  transacted,  which  have  a  natural 
tendency  to  grieve  him,  (and  that  not  merely  forty  years  long, 
but  from  age  to  age,  ever  since  the  world  began,)  to  rceary 
him  ;  to  vex  his  holy  Spirit ;  to  break  his  heart ;  to  press  him 
as  a  cart  is  pressed  that  is  full  of  sheaves. 

But  no  thanks  to  the  sinner,  that  God  is  happy.  He  is  no 
friend  to  God's  felicity.  His  ways  tend  to  grieve  and  distress 
the  HOLY  ONE  of  Israel ;  and  that  which  is  God's  comfort 
is  a  terror  to  the  sinner.  He  dreads  the  day  when  all  things 
shall  be  set  to  rights:  and  when  the  ALMIGHTY  will  ease 
himself  of  his  adversaries,  and  avenge  himself  of  his  enemies f. 
Thus  we  see  how  sin  is  against  GOD  :  it  is  against  his  na- 
ture, law,  authority,  government,  being,  honour,  happi- 
ness. 

And  now, 

II.  I  am  to  show  how  GREAT  the  evil  of  sin  is  on  this  ac- 
count. The  evil  of  sin,  as  has  been  observed,  arises  from  our 
obligations  to  do  otherwise.  And  therefore,  the  greater  our 
obligations  are  to  God,  the  greater  is  the  evil  of  sinning 
against  him.  Oui  obligations  to  love,  honour,  and  obey  God, 
originally  arise  from  his  worthiness  to  be  loved,  honoured, 
and  obeyed  by  us.  But  he  is  infinitely  worthy  to  be  loved, 
honoured,  and  obeyed  by  us  :  therefore  our  obligations  to  do 
so  are  infinite:  and  so,  to  sin  against  him,  must  be  esteemed 
an  infinite  evil. 

But  it  is  quite  beyond  our  capacity  to  comprehend  the  vile- 
ness  there  is  in  treating  God  as  the  sinner  does  ;  unless  we 
could,  as  he  can,  comprehend  all  his  greatness  and  glory, 

/  Isai.  i.  24. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD.  515 

and  fully  see  all  the  grounds  and  reasons  there  are  for  us  to 
Jove,  reverence,  and  obey  him,  and  feel  all  their  binding 
force.  God  is  fully  conscious  to  himself,  that  he  is  infinite- 
ly worthy  of  all  love,  honour,  and  obedience,  for  what  he  is 
in  himself:  besides  that  he  is  the  Maker  and  Lord  of  the 
universe ;  the  tnaintainer  and  upholder  of  the  world,  and 
rightful  king,  and  sovereign  over  all.  He  is  fully  conscious, 
there  is  infinite  reason  for  us  to  rejoice  in  him,  exult  in  his 
government,  and  be  glad  in  his  service ;  and  that  the  con- 
trary temper  and  conduct  of  his  creatures,  is  infinitely  unrea- 
sonable and  wicked.  And  although  we  cannot  comprehend 
the  exceeding  vileness  of  rising  in  rebellion  against  the  MOST 
HIGH  ;  yet  we  may  be  easily  convinced,  that  it  is  an  infinite 
evil.  Yea,  if  we  are  but  really  convinced  that  God  is  infi- 
nitely great  and  glorious,  it  will  be  to  us  self-evident,  that  he 
is  infinitely  worthy  of  all  love,  honour,  and  obedience  :  and 
that  consequently,  to  disesteem,  despise,  and  disobey  him, 
is  infinitely  vile.  It  is  low  and  mean  thoughts  of  God,  which 
cause  secure  sinners  to  be  insensible  of  the  great  evil  of  sin. 
Those  heretics  who  deny  the  infinite  evil  of  sin,  do  but,  by 
the  means,  proclaim  to  the  world  their  ignorance  of  the  DEI- 
TY. Had  not  God  known  sin  to  be  an  infinite  evil,  he  would 
never  have  threatened  an  infinite  punishment,  even  the  eter- 
nal pains  of  hell ;  where  the  worm  shall  never  die,  and  thejire 
shall  never  be  quenched*.  And  were  not  Christ,  our  com- 
passionate Redeemer,  sensible  of  the  infinite  evil  of  sin,  he 
eould  never  find  it  in  his  heart,  at  the  day  of  judgment, 
to  say  to  the  wicked  on  his  left  hand,  Depart,  ye  cursed, 
into  EVERLASTING  fire h.  And  were  not  all  the  hosts  of 
heaven  in  the  same  sentiment,  they  would  never  join  to  say, 
Hallelujah,  salvation,  and  glory,  and  honour,  and  power,  un- 
to tht  Lord  our  God  :  Jor  true  and  righteous  are  his  judg- 
ments ;  Hallelujah,  Jor  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth  ,- 
when  they  see  the  smoke  of  their  torments  ascending  for  ever 
and  ever1.  Yea,  were  not  the  punishment  apprehended  to 
be  justly  deserved,  it  could  not  answer  any  of  the  good  ends 
of  punishment  in  the  moral  world  :  but  would  forever  appear 
a  great  and  dreadful  blemish  in  the  divine  conduct,  in  the 

5-  Mark  Ix.  44.  4P.  48.         h  Mat.  XXT.  41.          i  Rev.  xh.  1—8. 
VOL.    H».  fi? 


b  14  THE  GREAT  EVIL  OF  SIN, 

sight  of  all  intelligent  beings.  God  himself  could  not  ap- 
prove of  it,  and  would  never  do  it.  And  therefore,  notwith- 
standing it  is  so  contrary  to  the  natural  sentiment  of  a  heart 
secure  in  sin,  yet  we  have  sufficient  matter  of  conviction,  that 
there  is  really  an  infinite  evil  in  sin,  as  it  is  against  God. 
And  when  these  heavens  and  this  earth,  which  are  now 
"  kept  in  store,  and  reserved  unto  fire,  against  the  day  of 
judgment,  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men,"  shall  all  be  in  a 
flame,  and  melt  with  fervent  heat,  and  the  whole  material  sys- 
tem be  dissolved  and  wrapped  together,  hurled  into  onegeneral 
heap,  (perhaps,)  to  be  everlastingly  a  lake  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone for  the  punishment  of  the  ungodly  k:  1  say,  when  God 
comes  thus  to  show  his  wrath,  and  make  his  power  known  in 
the  destruction  of  the  wicked^;  it  will  make  all  intelligent 
creatures,  in  e"arth  and  hell,  effectually  sensible  what  an  evil 
sin  is,  and  how  God  stands  affected  towards  it  m.  This  visi- 
ble emblem  of  his  wrath,  this  immense  lake  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone, will  give  an  exact  and  infallible  comment  upon  God's 
law,  and  show,  beyond  dispute,  what  the  threatening  means": 
nor  will  it  any  more,  throughout  eternal  ages,  at  all  be  doubt- 
ed whether  sin  be  an  infinite  evil. 

And  thus  we  have  taken  a  brief  au'd  general  view  of  the 
evil  of  sin,  as  it  is  against  God.  We  might  indeed  here  en- 
ter into  a  great  variety  of  particulars,  and  largely  show  how 
sin,  as  it  is  against  God,  is  aggravated  on  many  accounts  ; 
not  only  considering  merely  what  he  is  in  himself,  but  the 
relation  he  stands  in  to  us,  and  we  to  him,  our  dependanceon 
him,  his  right  to  us,  his  authority  over  us,  the  greatness  of  re- 
deeming love,  the  freeness  of  Gospel-grace,  &c.  And  it 
might  be  distinctly  Considered,  how  amazingly  vile  it  is  for 
such  as  we  be,  to  treat  such  a  one  as  God  is,  in  such  sort, 
under  such  circumstances,  and  notwithstanding  such  addi- 
tional bonds  and  obligations  lying  upon  us.  But  I  must 
omit  this,  and  pass  on, 

III.  To  prove,  that  the  GREAT  EVIL  of  sin,  consists  in 
THIS,  that  it  is  against  GOD.  And  this  may  easily  appear. 
For  a  few  words  may  soon  make  it  evident,  that  although  sin 
may  really  be  a  very  great  evil,  as  it  is  injurious  to  our  fellow- 
men,  or  to  ourselves  ;  yet  it  is  not  so  aggravated  and  heinous 

k  2  Pet  iii.  5 — 1"2.      I  Rom.  ix.  22.       m  Rom.  ii.  £.       n  Gal.  Hi.  Ifr. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD.  515 

by  infinite  odds,  in  these  respects,  as  on  account  of  its  being 
against  GOD.  To  injure  our  fellow-creatures  is  wrong,  very 
wrong ;  but  what  is  a  worm  of  the  dust,  compared  to  the 
LIVING  Gon  ?  If  one  man  sin  against  another,  the  judge 
shall  judge  him  ;  (and  some  recompense  may  be  made,)  but 
if  a  man  sin  against  the  Lord,  who  will  entreat  for  him  ?  (or 
make  any  atonement  for  his  crime0  ?)  Yea,  if  by  some  act  of 
sin  we  could  do  the  greatest  injury  to  the  whole  creation; 
yet  what  is  the  whole  creation  compared  with  GOD,  the  AL- 
MIGHTY CREATOR  ?  It  is  all  hut  as  a  dia>t  of  the  balance,  or 
a  drop  of  the  bucket  p.  We  may  ruin  ourselves  by  sin;  we 
may  plunge  ourselves  headlong  into  destruction  ;  but  what 
are  we,  compared  with  the  GREAT  JEHOVAH  ?  Less  than  no- 
thing, and  vanity  q.  And  what  is  a  guilt}7  rebel  worth,  com- 
pared with  the  MAJESTY  of  HEAVEN  ?  To  rise  up  in  rebel- 
lion against  the  GREAT  GOD,  go  contrary  to  him,  affront  him, 
and  treat  him  with  contempt,  is  evidently  the  most  wicked 
and  heinous  thing  that  possibly  can  be  done.  For  here  the 
GREATEST  and  BEST  of  Beings  is  insulted:  yea,  a  BEING 
who  is  infinitely  better  than  all  other  Beings  put  together. 
This  is  therefore  the  greatest  evil  there  is  in  sin,  by  infinite 
odds. 

And  accordingly,  thus  we  find  the  matter  stands  in  Scrip- 
ture-account. When  men  are  guilty  of  such  wicked  deeds, 
as  are  injurious  to  themselves,  or  to  their  fellow-creatures  ;  yet, 
by  God,  the  righteous  judge,  they  are  blamed  and  punished 
for  these  sins,  principal!}'  and  chiefly,  under  the  notion  of 
their  being  committed  against  the  LORD.  Thus,  when  the 
Israelites  were  disheartened  by  the  evil  report  of  the  spies, 
and  refused  to  go  up  against  the  Canaanites,  and  talked  of 
making  captains,  and  returning  to  Egypt;  although  this  con- 
duct tended  to  disinherit  themselves  and  their  posterity  of  the 
land  of  Canaan  for  ever,  yet  it  is  not  on  this  account,  chiefly, 
lhat  they  were  blamed,  and  so  dreadfully  punished ;  (nay, 
it  is  not  so  much  as  once  mentioned,  to  aggravate  their  crime, 
or  to  show  the  justice  of  their  punishment :)  but  it  was  all 
because  they  had  sinned  against  the  LORD.  God  had  said, 
lhat  he  would  drive  out  the  nations  before  them  :  but  they 

o  1  Sam.  ii.  25.  p  Isai.  si.  17.  q  Isai.  xl  15. 


THE    GREAT  EVIL  OF  SIN, 

would  not  believe  him.  God  had  commanded  them  to  go 
up  and  take  possession  ;  but  they  would  not  obey  him.  They 
did  not  believe  he  would  be  as  good  as  his  word  ;  they  were 
afraid  to  run  such  a  venture,  as  to  trust  his  fidelity  ;  they  had 
rather  rebel  against  his  command,  and  return  to  Egypt.  Where- 
fore God  is  represented  as  being  greatly  affronted  and  pro- 
voked, and  as  swearing  in  his  wrath,  that  ihiy  should  never 
enter  into  his  rest r.  As  truly  as  I  live,  saith  the  J^ord,  your 
carcasses  shall  fall  in  this  wilderness 8.  But  why  was  God  so 
angry?  Because  they  had  rebelled  against  the  Lord1,  would 
not  believe  him*,  nor  hearken  to  his  voice  *:  i.  e.  Not  because 
their  conduct  was  to  their  own  damage,  but  because  it  offered 
an  affront  to  God.  Although  it  does  not  appear,  that  they 
had  acted  with  a  design  to  affront  the  ALMIGHTY  ;  but.ra- 
ther  from  a  principle  of  self-preservation.  Just  as  sinners 
now  a-days  do,  who  turn  their  backs  upon  the  heavenly  Ca- 
naan, and  lust  after  the  leeks  and  onions  of  Egypt,  the  plea- 
sures of  sin  ;  not  with  any  design  to  affront  God,  but  from 
self-love,  and  to  gratify  the  desires  of  their  hearts,  all  in  pur- 
suit of  happiness.  But  yet  really  in  fact  they  turn  their 
backs  upon  the  ALMIGHTY,  and  despise  his  commands  ;Jand 
for  their  offering  this  affront  to  the  DEITY,  damnation  is 
threatened  ;  and  not  so  much  because  they  go  contrary  to 
their  own  interest.  And  so  again,  there  is  the  instance  of 
David,  who,  it  is  plain,  had  no  design  to  affront  the  MOST 
HIGH  :  but  first  he  meant  to  gratify  his  lust  with  Uriah's 
wife ;  and  afterwards  contrived  to  save  his  credit  by  taking 
away  Uriah's  life  :  yet  observe  his  charge  and  his  doom, 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord ;  "  Because  thou  hast  despised 
the  Lord,  and  despised  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  and 
given  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  occasion  to  blaspheme  ;"  there- 
fore so  and  so  will  I  punish  you  y.  Therefore  says  David  to 
God,  Against  thet,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned.  See  also  that 
confession  in  Daniel  ix.  9 — 12.  And  that  large  representa- 
tion of  the  nature  of  what  passed  between  God  and  his  peo- 
ple of  old,  and  the  reasons  and  grounds  of  the  judgments 
inflicted  upon  them,  in  Ezek.  xx.  throughout.  The  Soip- 

»•  Psalraxcv.  11.     s  Numb.  jav.  28,29.     t  ver.  9.     u  ver.  11.     x  ver.  22. 
y  2  Sam.  12. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST    G8L.  WJ 

fure  ever  supposes,  that  all  manner  of  sin,  of  what  kind  so- 
ever, is  committed  against  the  Lord,  who  is  constantly  con- 
sidered as  GOVERNOR  of  the  world;  and  therefore  the  sin- 
ner is  viewed  as  a  rebel.  But  to  rebel  against  the  Lord,  is  to 
despise  him,  and  to  despise  his  commands,  in  Scripture-ac- 
count. But  to  despise  GOD  MOST  HIGH,  is  infinitely  more 
vile,  than  to  injure  such  worms  of  the  dust  as  we  mortals; 
because  God  is  infinitely  greater  and  better  *.  This  there- 
fore, is  the  great  evil  in  sin,  which  is  respected,  when  tempo- 
ral judgments  are  threatened  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  when 
eternal  damnation  is  threatened  in  the  New  :  so  that  it  is  evi- 
dently a  point,  every  where  in  the  hible,  taken  for  granted, 
v'W«»*  u^au.v*  tf:4ii!  "v-r-  *ntb  ,?»•-•?".'.:  >>.U  '  '  ».  * 

z  To  despite  God  most  high,  is  infinitely  more  vile  than  to  injure  such  worm*  of 
the  dust  as  we  mortals ;  because  God  is  infinitely  greater  and  better.—— 
Therefore,  1.  We  are  under  infinite  obligations  to  virtue,  antecedent  to  any 
selfish  considerations.  And  so,  2.  There  is  nn  infinite  evil  in  sin,  over  and  above  it* 
natural  tendency  to  promote  the  misery  of  ourselves  or  neighbours.  And,  con- 
sequently, 3.  It  deserves  an  infinite  punishment  to  be  inflicted  over  and  above 
that  paiu  which  naturally  results  from  it.  And  hence,  4  A  rational  account 
may  be  given  of  the  eternity  of  hell-torments.  And,  5.  We  may  see  why  such 
nn  atonement  for  sin  was  needful,  as  the  blood  of  the  Sox  of  GOD.  And  now 
also,  C.  We  may  see  the  true  nature  of  the  modern  scheme  of  divinity.  Thev 
say,  our  great  obligation  to  virtue  arises  from  its  tendency  to  make  us  happy ; 
therefore,  the  great  evil  of  sin  consists  in  its  tendency  to  make  us  miserable 
and  so  sin  is  not  an  infinite  evil  ;  nor  docs  it  deserve  an  infinite  punishment,  nor 
.•ill  hell-torments  be  eternal  :  nor  was  an  infinite  satisfaction  to  divine  justice 
needful ;  nor  indeed,  strictly  speaking,  any  satisfaction  to  divine  justice  at  all : 
So,  no  need  of  a  GOD  for  our  Redeemer  :  hence,  Christ  Jesus  was  but  a  mere 
man ;  and  the  Gospel,  only  the  religion  of  nature,  republishcd  and  reinforced, 
Sec.  &c.  It  is  all  bccauit;  they  kuow  not  the  Lord.  As  it  is  written,  the  fool 
faith  in  his  heart,  there  is  no  God ;  corrupt  are  they.  For,  having  no  sense 
of  God  upon  their  hearts,  or  of  the  importance  of  his  honour  and  glory  ;  they 
are  prepared  to  imagine,  that  the  happiness  of  the  creature  is  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance of  any  thing  in  heaven  or  earth.  As  though  the  creature  were  better 
than  the  Creator;  \vhich  is  to  make  a  God  of  the  ereaturc  ;  which  prepares  the 
way,  in  their  scheme,  to  make  a  creature  of  GOD,  i.  c.  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  it 
over  all  GOD  blessed  for  ever  ;  who  yet,  say  they,  is  but  a  mere  creature. — 
For  valuing  themselves  so  high,  and  GOD  so  low,  hence  they  see  but  little  or  no 
evil  in  sin  ns  it  is  a^ainut  God :  and  so  feel  little  or  no  want  of  a  Redeemer,  or 
of  an  atonement :  so  no  need  of  a  GOD,  to  interpose  and  die  in  their  behalf ;  a 
mere  creature  might  answer  all  the  ends  needful :  therefore  they  arc  prepared, 
to  think  Jesus  Christ  was  no  more  :  and  it  is  not  what  the  Scripture  say»,  bui 
what  suits  with  their  onn  notions,  which  to  them,  will  appear  true,  or  by  them 
be  believed. 


518  THE.GREAT  EVIL  OF    SIN, 

that  the  great  EVIL  of  sin  consists  in  its  being  committed 
against  GOD. 

Having  thus  gone  through  with  what  was  proposed,  some 
remarks  may  be  made,  and  then  the  whole  be  applied  to  our 
own  use. 

REMARK  1.  How  different  a  thing  is  SIN  Jrom  what  an 
apostate  rebellious  world  naturally  imagine  I  How  blind  are 
we  naturally  to  the  infinite  greatness,  majesty,  and  glory  of 
GOD  !  How  insensible  of  the  honourableness  of  the  almighty 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  his  worthiness  to  be  loved, 
honoured,  and  obeyed  !  If  any  of  our  fellow-mortals  despise, 
affront,  or  injure  us,  they  touch,  as  it  were,  the  apple  of  our 
eye :  but  God  may  be  abused,  and  we  take  little  or  no  no- 
tice of  it.  A  thousand  times  men  break  his  laws,  and  a  thou- 
sand times  they  despise  and  affront  him  by  their  sinful  do- 
ings; while  they  are  possessed  of  such  a  prodigious  degree  of 
stupidity,  as  not  to  pass  a  single  thought  upon  it.  And 
should  any  charge  them  with  despising  the  Lord,  there  are 
many  would  be  ready  to  say,  (with  those,  Mai.  1.6.)  Wherein 
have  we  despised  him  ?  "  You  despise  God  in  your  closets, 
in  your  family  worship,  in  your  public  worship,  and  at  the 
Lord's  table:  and  yet,  O  secure  sinner,  will  you  still  say, 
Wherein  do  I  despise  him  ?  You  give  your  choicest  affections 
to  idols,  and  offer  the  blind  and  the  sick  to  the  Lord :  yea, 
a  blind  and  a  dead  heart.  Is  it  not  burdensome  to  main- 
tain secret  prayer  ?  and  more  tedious  te  spend  an  hour  alone 
vnth  God,  than  a  whole  day  with  vain  company  ?  And  is 
not  this  to  despise  the  Lord  ?  Offer  such  treatment  to  your 
companions  :  let  them  see  that  you  are  weary  of  their  com- 
pany ;  even  then  when  you  are  waiting  upon  them  with  pre- 
tences of  the  greatest  respect ;  and  will  they  accept  it  at 
your  hands?  or  be  pleased  with  your  conduct?  Besides,  you 
are  continually  despising  God  in  your  daily  course,  by  a  dis- 
position to  take  greater  delight  in  the  things  of  the  world, 
and  in  the  way  of  sin,  than  in  the  ever  blessed  God  :  and  by 
a  disposition  to  love  yourself  more  than  him ;  and  be  more 
concerned  for  your  honour  and  interest  in  the  world,  than  for 
God's  glory,  and  the  interest  of  his  Son's  kingdom.  And  you 
despise  the  Lord,  and  despise  the  commandments  of  the  Lord, 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD.  3]() 

in  every  one  of  your  thoughts,  words,  and  actions,  that  are  in 
any  measure  injurious  to  your  fellow-creatures."  But  such  is  the 
sottish  ness  of  a  secure  sinner,  that  he  scarce  passes  a  single 
thought  upon  it,  for  days,  and  weeks,  and  months,  and  years, 
how  the  infinitely  glorious  and  ever  blessed  GOD  is  by  him 
continually  affronted  and  despised. 

But,  turn  the  tables  ;  let  the  secure  sinner  meet  with  abu- 
ses from  his  neighbours  :  let  him  be  despised  :  let  him  be 
scorned'  let  even  his  inferiors  treat  him  with  contempt:  let 
his  name  be  cast  out  as  evil  by  all  men  :  let  every  man's 
hand  be  against  him,  to  defraud  him  in  their  dealing  with 
him,  to  disappoint  him,  and  vex  him  :  and  now  he  will  feel 
i,t ;  it  will  reach  his  heart;  he  will  think  of  it  night  and  day ; 
aggravate  it  continually  ;  and  be  ready  to  cry  out,  "  Never 
was  mortal  abused  as  I  am !  Never  were  there  such  wicked 
doings  in  the  world  before!" 

If  GOD  is  despised,  affronted,  and  abused  ;  the  sinner's  heart 
is  a.  heart  of  stone  :  he  cannot  feel  it :  for  he  does  not  care 
for  God.  But  let  it  come  to  his  own  case  ;  and  his  heart  is 
a  heart  ofjlesh,  very  tender ;  as  tender  as  the  apple  of  one's 
eye :  every  thing  touches  him  to  the  quick  :  for  he  loves 
himself  dearly.  If  God  is  abused  and  injured,  an  apostate 
world  care  little  about  it :  but  if  themselves  are  wronged,  it  is 
highly  resented.  Hence,  this  is  the  doctrine  of  ungodly  sel- 
fish hearts,  viz.  THE  GREAT  EVIL  OF  SIN  CONSISTS  IN  ITS 
BEING  AN  INJURIOUS  THING  TO  us.  Nor,  indeed,  is  it 
verv  strange  that  a  rebellious  world  care  so  little  for  God's 
honour.  For  this  is  the  nature  and  way  of  rebels  in  earthly 
kingdoms;  when  they  have  cast  off  their  rightful  sovereign, 
and  turned  enemies  to  him,  they  care  not  what  becomes  of 
him,  nor  how  he  is  treated.  Their  only  concern  is  about 
themselves,  and  to  secure  their  own  welfare.  In  order  to 
which  they  may  do  many  toilsome  and  heroic  deeds,  and  call 
them  by  the  name  of  virtue  a,  which  virtue  of  theirs  they  may 

a  Call  them  by  tlie  name  of  VIRTUE.  When  MILTON  has  represented 
satan,  the  mighty  chief  among  the  powers  of  darkness,  as  willing,  at  all  adven- 
tures, to  undertake  a  voyage  from  hell  to  earth,  in  order  to  seduce  man,  and  find 
out  for  themselves  a  habitation  more  comfortable  than  that  burning  lake  ;  he 
introduces  all  the  infernal  crrte,  as  prrving  a  public  honour  to  his  VIRTUE. 


520  THE    GREAT  EVtL  OF    SIN, 

honour  and  reward,  and  labour  to  countenance  and  promote 
it;  but  it  is  all  the  while  only  to  serve  their  own  ends.  And 
they  are  nevertheless  a  company  of  rebels,  in  the  estimation 
of  their  rightful  sovereign.  The  application  is  easy. 

REM.  2.  How  amazing  is  the  patience  of  God,  towards  a 
rebellious  guilty  world !  and  how  astonishing  the  divine  good- 
ness,  which  sends  ruin,  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  their  heart* 


•  They  rose  : 


Towards  him  they  bend 


"  With  awful  reverence  prone  ;  and  as  a  god 

"  Extol  him  equal  to  the  highest  in  heaven  : 

"  Nor  fail'd  they  to  express  how  much  they  prais'd, 

"  That  for  the  general  safety  he  despis'd 

"  His  own  :  (for  neither  do  the  spirits  damn'd 

"  Lose  all  their  Virtue  ;  lest  bad  men  should  boast 

"  Their  specious  deeds  on  earth,  which  glory  excites  ; 

"  Or  close  ambition  varnish'd  o'er  with  zeal.'1) 

tUfilton,  Paradise  Lost,  Book  ii.  lin.  575. 

And  in  the  same  page,  in  very  beautiful  lines,  he  intimates,  what  indeed  is 
agreeable  to  our  SAVIOUR'S  words,  Matt.  xii.  25,  26.  that  there  is  a  great  ap- 
pearance of  love  and  good  agreement  among  devils  :  the  kingdoms  of  this  world 
are  divided  against  themselves ;  but  satan's  kingdom  is  not — And  elsewhere  tlie 
following  lines : 

"  O,  shame  to  men  !  Devil  with  devil  damn'd, 

"  Firm  concord  holds,  men  only  disagree, 

"  Of  creatures  rational,  though  under  hope 

"  Of  heav'nly  graee  :  and,  God  proclaiming  peace,. 

"  Yet  live  in  hatred,  enmity,  and  strife 

"  Among  themselves,  and  levy  cruel  wars, 

"  Wasting  the  earth,  each  other  to  destroy  : 

"  As  if,  (which  might  induce  us  to  accord,) 

"  Man  had  not  hellish  foes  enow  besides, 

"  That,  day  and  night,  for  his  destruction  wait." 

Par.  Lost.  Book  ii.  1.  496. 

And  yet  the  little  appearance  ofpublic  love,  and  public  spirit,  there  is  among 
sutnkiml,  although  not  so  well  united  among  themselves  as  devils  be,  is  by  some 
writers  wonderfully  applauded,  as  true  virtue,  and  used  as  an  unanswerable  ar- 
gument, to  prove  that  mankind  naturally  have,  in  a  measure,  that  moral  image 
of  God,  which  it  is  acknowledged  the  devils  have  totally  lost :  and  that,  notwith- 
standing we  are  represented  in  Scripture  as  being  dead  in  sin,  (Eph.  iii.  t.)  by 
nature  children  of  -wrath ;  (ver.  3.)  enemies  to  Qod  /  (Rom.  v.  10.)  enmity 
against  him.  (Rom.  riii.  7.) 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  QOD.  521 

with  food  and  gladness  ;  when  lull  is  their  proper  place,  and 
the  pains  oj  the  damned  their  just  desert!  God  looks  down 
from  heaven  upon  the  children  of  men,  and  beholds  the 
work  of  his  hands  combined  in  rebellion  against  him,  their 
rightful  sovereign  :  contemning  his  nature  and  will,  despis- 
ing his  law,  and  authority,  and  of  a  temper  bad  enough  to  de- 
throne him,  and  overturn  his  universal  government,  had  they 
sufficient  power  on  their  side:  and  conscious  to  his  own  in-, 
finite  glory,  and  to  the  reasonableness  and  excellency  of  his 
government,  and  the  infinite  obligations  his  creatures  are  un- 
der to  hitn  ;  he  has  an  adequate  idea  of  the  infinite  vileness 
of  their  temper  and  conduct,  and  of  the  infinite  provocation 
they  give  him,  immediately  to  come  out  against  them  :  yet 
he  stays  his  hand  b:  he  holds  back  destruction  :  he  waits  up- 
on a  guilty  world  from  age  to  age;  and  feeds  and  clothes  the 
wretches  that  affront  him  to  his  face.  But, 

REM.  3.  HOK  dreadful  will  the  day  of  wrath  be !  and 
how  miserable  the  state,  of  the  obstinate  sinner !  when  God's 
patitnce  shall  be  at  an  end,  and  his  hand  shall  take  hold  on 
vengeance,  and  render  a  recompense  to  the  nicked,  equal  to 
the  infinite  evil  of  their  sins.  If  one  sin,  and  the  least  sin, 
has  so  great  an  evil  in  it,  and  deserves  so  great  a  punishment ; 
how  dreadful  must  their  state  be,  who  have  committed  hun- 
dreds, and  thousands,  and  millions  of  sins,  and  sins  of  the 
largest  size,  wherein  they  have  cast  the  greatest  contempt  on 
the  MOST  HIGH,  millions  of  times  over!  Their  torments  must 
be,  not  only  eternal,  but  exceeding  intense  and  very  dread- 
ful. The  least  sin  deserves  eternal  damnation0;  every  degree 
of  guilt  deserves  a  proportionable  degree  of  punishment;  the 
more  guilty,  the  more  miserable11:  the  torments  of  the  damn- 
ed will  therefore  be  not  only  eternal  in  duration,  but  most 
dreadful  in  degree.  Hence  it  is  written,  that  God  will  thotz 

b  Yet  he  stays  Iiis  hand.  N.  B.  It  is  in  Scripture,  attributed  to  the  ORE  A.  T- 
•KESS  of  GOD'S  power,  that  he  is  able  to  contain  himself,  and  to  keep  back  his 
hand  from  destroj  ing  the  God-provoking  sinner  immediately.  Numb.  xiv.  17. 
And  had  he  not  a  strength  and  fortitude  of  mind  infinitely  great,  it  would 
doubtless  be  beyond  him  to  bear  with  mankind  a  minute  longer.  Such  infinite 
provocations  would  Lo  ton  much  for  any  but  an  infinite  patience. 

c  Gal.  Lii.  10.  d  Rom.  ii.  6. 

VOL.  in.  ftfi 


THE    GREAT    EVIL  OF  SIN, 

his  wrath  and  make  his  power  known  in  their  destruction  ".. 
His  power  was  made  known  in  creating  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  :  and  by  the  same  power  these  heavens  and  earth, 
which  are  now  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  Jire,  against  the 
datj  of  judgment  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men  ;  1  say,  by 
the  same  power,  which  first  created  them,  they  shall  at  last 
be  dissolved,  burnt  up,  melted;  and  so  be  turned  into  a  lake  of 
Jire  and  brimstone  :  and  when  the  heavens  shall  pass  away 
with  a  great  noise,  all  in  a  flame,  and  the  whole  material  uni- 
verse be  hurled  together  in  one  general  heap,  then  his  power 
will  bt  made  known f.  And  then  he  will  show  his  wrath. 
ISow  God  is  insulted  and  despised  by  worms  of  the  dust  ;  and 
yet  is  very  bountiful  to  his  enemies,  and  seems  to  take  no  no- 
tice of'  their  affronts.  As  it  is  written,  these  things  hast  thou 
done,  and  I  kept  silence  g.  For  now  is  the  time  for  patience 
to  reign:  but  when  the  day  of  wrath  comes h,  God  will  let 
all  the  world  see  and  know,  how  infinitely  vile  it  is  for  worms 
to  rise  in  rebellion  against  the  MOST  HIGH.  When  the  hea- 
vens begin  to  be  on  fire,  find  the  elements  to  melt  with  fervent 
heat,  a  guilty  world  will  begin  effectually  to  be  roused  to  a 
sense  of  what  they  have  done.  Now  God  will  show  his 
wrath  ;  and  now  a  rebellious  world  will  feel  their  guilt. 

REM.  4.  How  far  bryond  the  capacity  of  any  finite  crea- 
ture is  it  to  make  amends  to  God  for  the  ttast  sin,  which  casts 
such  an  infinite  contempt  upon  the  Most  High!  A  worm  may 
rise  in  rebellion"  against  the  great  Jehovah,  and  may  despise 
God,  and  despise  the  commandments  of  God,  and  make  a 
light  matter  of  it :  but  if  he  would  give  "  thousands  of  rams, 
tmd  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil/'  to  make  amends  for  his 
crime,  it  would  not  answer.  Yea,  if  he  would  give  "  his  first- 
born for  his  transgression,  and  the  fruit  of  his  body  for  the 
sin  of  his  soul,"  it  would  not  avail.  It  is  easy,  for  a  haughty 
worm  to  despise  the  majesty  of  heaven  :  but  it  is  beyond  the 
reach  of  all  created  nature,  to  make  a  proper  amends  to  God 
for  such  an  injury.  It  is,  even  between  man  and  man,  ea- 
sier to  do  wrong,  than  to  undo  it :  but  it  is  clean  beyond  the 
whole  creation,  to  make  amends  to  God  for  the  least  sin. 
For  it  requires  an  infinite  atonement :  but  if  all  finite  crea- 

e  Rom.  ix.  2i5.    /  2  Pet.  iii.  7.  10. 12.      5-  Psalm  I.  21.      h  Rom.  ii.  5. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  6OD.  523 

tares  in  heaven  and  earth  should  join  together  to  do  and  suf- 
fer their  utmost,  it  would  not  amount  to  any  thing  infinite. 
And  besides,  what  can  a  creature  do  towards  making  the  least 
degree  of  atonement  for  sin  ?  For,  what  he  does,  must  ei- 
ther be  what  God  requires,  or  what  God  does  not  require.  If 
it  be  what  God  does  not  require,  God  will  not  accept  of  it; 
for  there  is  no  virtue  in  it :  and  if  it  be  no  more  than  what 
God  requires,  it  is  no  more  than  his  duty.  And  his  paying 
a  present  debt,  cannot  atone  for  a  rault  that  is  past.  The 
creature  is  not  his  own,  he  wholly  belongs  to  God,  and  all 
that  he  hath  ;  he  has  nothing  therefore  to  give  to  God,  but 
what  is  his  own  already.  If  he  gives  himself  to  God,  wholly 
to  God,  it  is  the  most  that  he  can  do:  and  yet  he  was  whol- 
ly the  Lord's  before,  it  is  beyond  the  capacity  of  the  crea- 
ture, therefore,  to  make  the  least  degree  ot  atonement  for  sin. 
He  may  justly  lie  under  the  whole  guilt,  and  be  exposed  to 
the  whole  punishment  of  it,  notwithstanding  the  utmost  he 
can  do.  If  ever  he  is  saved,  therefore,  it  must  be  by  free  grace 
through  Jesus  Christ. 

RBM.  3.  How  absolutely  necessary  was  it  that  our  RE- 
DEEMER should  be  GOD!  For  otherwise,  he  could  have 
nothing  properly  his  own;  and  so  nothing  to  offer  to  make 
atonement.  But  being  by  nature  GOD,  he  is  now  naturally 
bis  own  ;  and  so  mav  offer  to  God  that  which  is  his  own, 
and  that  which  is  of  infinite  warth  too.  A  being  of  infinite 
dignity  can  make  an  infinite  atonement.  And  such  an 
atonement  it  was  that  we  needed.  Without  such  an  atone- 
ment, we  must  have  perished.  Therefore,  God  purchased  his 
church  with  his  own  blood  '. 

RBM.  6.  How  great  is  the  goodness  of  God,  that  he  could 
find  it  i/i  his  heart,  to  give  his  only  begotten  SON  to  die  Jor 
such  an  apostate,  rebellious,  guilty  race  !  A  race,  which  had 
treated  him  so  vilely,  that  in  honour  he  could  not  pardon 
them  ;  the  honour  of  himself,  of  his  holiness  and  justice,  of 
his  law,  and  government,  and  sacred  authority,  would  not  al- 
low of  their  being  pardoned  ;  unless  his  orcn  Son,  equal  to 
himself  in  power  and  glory,  were  set  forth  to  be  a  propitia- 
tion for  sin k.  A  race,  that  are  habitually  inclined  to  des- 

••'  Acts  xx.  28.  k  Rom.  in.  29,  21. 


THE    GREAT    EVIL    OF    SIN, 

pise  him,  cast  off  his  government,  walk  contrary  to  him  ;  and 
who,  were  they  able,  would  soon  join  in  the  most  impious 
attempt  against  his  crown  and  glorious  dignity.  O !  that  he 
could  find  in  his  heart  to  love  and  pity  them  ;  and  this,  to 
so  great  a  degree,  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  SON  to  die  in 
their  stead ;  and  now,  through  him,  offer  to  be  reconciled, 
and  invite  them  to  return,  and  tender  them  pardon,  peace, 
and  eternal  life;  this  is  the  most  astonishing  goodness  ! 

APPLICATION. 

Now,  are  you  convinced  of  these  truths  ?  Do  you  look  up- 
on sin  ia  this  light  ?  Are  you  sensible,  that  all  sin  is  thus 
against  God,  against  his  nature,  law,  authority,  honour,  &c.  ? 
Do  you  know,  that  this  is  God's  world  ?  That  you  are  God's 
creatures  and  subjects  ?  That  he  is  your  Lord  and  Owner  ? 
That  he  has  an  entire  right  to  you,  and  an  absolute  authority 
over  you?  That  you  are  entirely  dependent  upon  him,  infi- 
nitely indebted  to  him,  absolutely  under  his  government  ?  And 
do  you  know,  that  the  LORD  your  GOB  is  a  GREAT  GOD, 
and  a  GREAT  KING,  infinitely  worthy  of  all  love,  honour, 
and  obedience  ?  And  do  you  see  what  a  great  evil  it  is  to 
rise  in  rebellion  against  the  MOST  HIGH,  slight  his  authority, 
throw  off  his  government,  break  his  law,  go  contrary  to  him, 
do  the  abominable  thing  which  his  soul  hates?  Do  you  see 
what  contempt  this  casts  upon  God  ?  And  how  it  tends  to 
grieve  his  heart  ?  For  a  worm  to  set  up  against  the  ALMIGH- 
TY !  For  a  creature,  absolutely  dependent,  to  turn  his  back 
upon  his  Creator,  in  whose  hands  his  life  and  breath  is,  and 
whose  are  all  his  ways !  To  love  sin  more  than  the  infinite- 
ly glorious  God  !  To  delight  in  earthly  pleasures  more  than 
in  the  supreme  fountain  of  all  good  !  To  be  more  concerned 
•to  please  fellow-rebels  and  secure  their  favour,  than  to  please 
the  sovereign  Lord  of  the  universe,  and  secure  his  favour ! 
Do  you  see  the  infinite  malignity  of  such  a  conduct  ? 

Oh  sinner  !  if  you  never  saw  tjie  great  evil  of  SIN,  you  are 
to  this  day  a  stranger  to  God,  and  blind  to  the  infinite  beau- 
ty of  his  nature  ;  and  are  to  this  day  under  the  power  of  sin, 
and  in  an  impenitent  and  unpardoned  state.  Never  was  a 


AS    COMMITTED    AGAINST    GOD. 

sinner  pardoned,  while  impenitent:  never  was  a  sinner  truly 
penitent,  while  insensible  of  the  great  evil  of  sin  :  and  never 
did  a  sinner  see  the  great  evil  of  sin,  before  he  was  first  ac- 
quainted with  the  infinitely  great  and  glorious  God.  You 
may  indeed  have  been  sorry  for  sin  on  other  accounts;  as, 
that  you  have  exposed  yourself  to  shame  before  men :  or 
hurt  your  estate ;  or  brought  God's  judgments  upon  you  in 
this  life ;  or  exposed  yourself  to  his  judgments  in  the  life  to 
come:  or,  perhaps  in  times  past,  you  have  been  greatly 
awakened  and  terrified,  and  then  filled  with  joy,  and  even 
ravished,  through  a  false,  but  confident  persuasion  your  sins 
were  pardoned  ;  and  in  consequence  of  this,  from  natural 
gratitude,  have  felt  real  grief  for  your  sins  against  God,  con- 
sidered merely  as  your  great  benefactor l.  But  if  you  never 
saw  the  great  evil  of  sin,  as  it  is  against  a  God  who  is  infinite- 
ly glorious  in  himself,  your  repentance  was  never  genuine: 
and  you  are  yet  unpardoned. 

Here  it  may  be  observed,  that  if  ever  men  were  thoroughly 
convinced  of  this  great  evil  of  sin,  the  conviction  would  be 
permanent  and  abiding.  For  where  true  grace  is  ever 
wrought  in  the  heart,  it  will  continue.  The  water  that  Christ 
gives  will  be  in  us  a  never-failing  fountain,  a  well  oj'u-attr 
springing  up  into  everlasting  lije  m.  Those,  therefore,  who  were 
greatly  terrified  with  their  sin  and  guilt,  some  years  ago,  but 
have  since  learnt  to  make  a  light  matter  of  sin,  and  can  easi- 
ly get  quiet,  and  go  on  in  their  evil  ways,  they  never  truly 
saw  the  great  evil  of  sin.  Yea,  1  may  add,  that  where  true 
grace  was  ever  wrought  in  the  heart,  it  will  not  only  continue, 
but  increase  ;  like  the  mustard-seed,  which  grows  into  a  trie0: 
and  so  a  sight  and  sense  of  the  great  evil  of  sin,  will  conse- 
quently increase  and  strengthen.  For  as  men  grow  in  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  sense  of  his  glory,  and  of  their  obliga- 
tions, to  him  :  so,  proponionably,  will  they  see  more  and  more 
of  the  infinite  evil  there  is  in  sin,  as  it  is  against  him.  The 
case  therefore  may  soon  be  decided  against  all  those  who 

I  That  those  religious  affections,  which  men  may  have  towards  God,  consider- 
ed merely  under  the  notion  of  a  benefactor,  are  not  of  th«  nature  of  saving  grace, 
is  evident  from  Job  i.  9,  10, 11.  and  Mat.  v.  4G. 

m  John  iy.  14.  n  Mat  xiii.  31,  32. 


THE  GREAT    EVIL  OF  SIN, 

were  once  awakened  and  enlightened,  but  have  since  fallen 
away,  and  returned  with  the  dog  to  his  vomit,  and  with  the 
sow  that  teas  washed  to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire  °*  Their 
eyes  never  were  truly  opened  :  the  heart  of  stone  was  never 
taken  away  :  they  never  tasted  the  bitterness  of  sin  to  good 
purpose  :  and  they  are  still  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  bonds 
oj  iniquity  p;  and  must  return  to  their  awakenings  and  sor- 
rows again,  in  this  world,  or  in  the  world  to  come. 

Answer  me,  to  these  six  questions  : 

I.  Does  God's  government  appear  reasonable,  and  his  law 
just  ?  Behold,  and  see  how  God  governs  the  world;  ob- 
serve how  he  looks  upon  sin,  and  how  he  treats  it.  The  sin- 
ning angels,  for  their  first  transgression,  are  turned  out  of 
heaven,  and  doomed  to  an  eternal  hell.  Our  fallen  world 
too,  but  for  the  interposition  of  a  Mediator,  had  sunk  into 
eternal  ruin.  Every  impenitent  sinner  will,  at  the  day  of 
judgment,  be  sentenced  to  depart  to  everlasting  burnings. 
Now,  does  it  appear  reasonable  that  sin  should  be  so  severe- 
ly punished?  In  heaven,  they  cry  Hallelujah!  just  and 
righteous  are  thy  judgments,  Lord  God  almighty !  But  what 
is  the  language  of  your  heart  ?  Say,  do  you  approve  God's 
government  ?  or  be  you  an  enemy  to  it  ?  And,  in  all  this, 
God  does  but  proceed  exactly  according  to  LAW.  For  the 
law  says,  cursed  is  every  one  that  continues  not  in  all  things'*. 
Now,  do  you  heartily  approve  the  law  as  strictly  just,  that 
threatens  eternal  damnation  for  the  least  sin?  Does  sin  ap- 
pear so  great  an  evil,  as  to  deserve,  in  all  reason  and  justice, 
to  be  so  severely  punished  ?  Put  it  to  your  own  case  ;  and 
can  you  justify  God  and  his  law  ? 

2.  Can  you  justify  God  in  his  present  dispensations  towards 
you?  How  are  you  actually  affected  under  those  chastise- 
ments which  God  inflicts  upon  you  for  sin  in  this  world  ? 
When  God  told  David,  that  for  his  sins,  his  wives  should  be 
defiled  in  the  sight  of  the  sww^the  sword  never  depart  from 
his  house,  and  his  child  should  die  r;  penitent  David  says, 
Against  thee,  thte  only,  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in 
thy  sight :  wherefore  thou  art  just  when  thou  speakest,  and 
clear  whtn  thoujudgest.  And  when  afterwards  he  fled  out 

»  2  Pet.  ii.  2'2.         p  Acts  v;ii.  23.         (j  Gal.  iii.  13.         r  2  Sam.  xii. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOB. 

of  Jerusalem,  from  the  face  of  Absalom,  and  Shimei  cursed 
him,  and  said,  Come  out,  come  out,  thou  bloody  man!  bro- 
ken-hearted David  said,  the  Lord  hath  bidden  him,  let  him 
a/one  *.  For  lie  plainly  saw  he  deserved  it  at  the  hands  of 
God.  And  is  it  the  native  language  of  your  heart,  when 
God  lays  his  hand  heavy  upon  you — Righteous  art  thou,  O 
Lord1?  Can  you  justify  God  in  his  dispensations  towards 
you  ?  God  always  in  this  world  punishes  us  far  less  than  our 
iniquities  deserve  u:  and  a  sight  of  the  great  evil  of  sin  will 
effectual ly  make  it  appear  so  to  us. 

3.  Is  it  become  natural  to  you,  to  look  upon  hell  as  your 
proper  due,  in  such  sort,  as  that  evtry  thing  in  your  circum- 
stances, wherein  you  are  better  off  than  the  damned,  appears 
as  mere ,  pure  mercy  •?     Are  you  so  vile,  and  hell-deserving, 
in  your  own  account  ?    Do  you  appear  so  in  your  own  eyes 
as  in  the  sight  of  God  ?     And  do  you  accordingly  attribute 
all  you  have,  that  is  better  than  hell,  to  mere  pure  mercy  ? 
And  go  up  and  down  the  world,  wondering  at  the  goodness 
and  patience  of  God  !     These  things  naturally  arise  from  a 
sight  of  the  great  evil  of  sin. 

4.  Do  you  dtserve  eternal  damnation  now,  to  your   oa'n 
sense  and  apprthemion  as  much  as  ever  you  did  ?     Be  it  so 
that  you  have  been  brought  to  true  repentance  for  your  past 
sins,  and  have  been  sincerely  devoted  to  God  for  these  many 
years,  and  that  you  live  a  life  of  penitency  and  godly  sorrow 
from  day  to  day,  and  enjoy  sweet  communion  with  God,  and 
a  sense  of  his  favour;  and  have  good   hopes  of  eternal  life; 
yet,  considered  merely  as  in  yourself,  in  strict  justice,  what  do 
you  deserve  at  the  hands  of  God  ?     Do  you  deserve  hell  still : 
And  do  you  deserve  it  as  much  as  ever  you  did  ?     Or  does 
it  seem  as  if  you  had  made  some  amends  for  the  sins  of  for- 
mer years,  by   your  repentance  and  piety  since  ?     Or  does 
your  daily   repentance  make  any  amends  to  God   for  your 
daily  short-comings?     If  you  see  the  great  evil  of  sin,  it  will 
be  a  clear  case  to  you,  that  yon   never  did,  nor  even  can, 
make  the  least  satisfaction  to  God,  for  the  least  sin.     And 
therefore,  instead  of  imagining  that  you  deserve  better  at  the 
hands  of  God  than  once  you  did,  you  will  naturally  see,  that 

.?  2  Sara.  xvi.  Jer.  xii.  1.          *  2  Sam.  xii.          u  Ezra  ix.  13. 


THE    GREAT    EVIL    OF    SIN, 

you  grow  more  unworthy  and  ill-deserving.  For,  besides 
former  transgressions,  there  are  your  daily  short-comings, 
whereby  you  are  continually  meriting  hell,  without  doing 
any  thing,  in  the  least  measure,  to  make  amends  for  what  is 
past. 
And  now, 

5.  Do  all  your  hopes  of  finding  mercy  at  last,  take  their 
vise,  only  and  absolutely,  from  the  free  grace  of  God,  through 
Christ,  as  revealed  in  the  Gospel?     St.  Paul  was  doubtless 
one  of  the  holiest  men  that  ever  lived  :  yet  no  man  seems 
so  sensible  of  his  own  vileness,  and  need  of  Christ  and  free 
grace.     The  law,  says  he,  is  spiritual ;  but  I  am  carnal,  sold 
under  sin.     Oh  wretched  man  that  I  am  x!     I  am  less  than 
the  least  of  all  saints 7.     By  the  deeds  of  the  law  nojlesh  can 
be  justified**     And  he  ever  looks  to  be  justified  by  free  grace 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus  a.     He  is  con- 
cerned, to  be  found,  not  in  himselj,  having  on  his  own  right- 
eousness ;  but  to  be  found  in   Christ,  having  on  his  righteous- 
uessb.     In  a  word,  it  was  his  character, to  worship  God  in  the 
Spirit,  to  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in 
the  flesh*.     And  this,  which   was  bis  character,  will  be  your 
nature,  if  you  really  see  the  great  evil  of  sin. 

6.  Is  it  become  natural  to  you,  to  be  afraid  of  SIN,  of  all 
sin  as  the  greatest  evil  ?     Are   you  afraid  of  secret,  as  well 
as  open  sins  ?    Of  sinful  thoughts,  as  well  as  sinful  actions? 
Of  an  ungracious,  unholy  frame  of  heart,  as  well  as  an  unho- 
ly life?     Are  you  afraid  of  having  your  heart  tu?*    away 
from  God,  the  fountain  of  all  good?     Of  losing  a  relish  for 
secret  prayer  ?     Of  wandering  thoughts  on  the  sabbath,  and 
at  sacrament?       And  are  you  afraid  of  whatsoever   tends- 
thereto;  such  as  vain  company,  a  merry  way  of  living,  love 
to  the  world,  neglecting  to  watch  the  heart  ?     Do  you  make 
conscience  of  walking  with  God,   and  of  maintaining  com- 
munion with   the   most  high,  in  your  closets,  and   families, 
and  in  the  house  of  God  ?  Or  does  not  a  round  of  duties,  and 
form  of  religion,  content  you  ?     Do  you  make  conscience  of 
loving  your  neighbour  as  yourself,  and  doing  as  you   would 

x  Rom.  vii.  14.  24.  z  Rom.  iii.  20.         b  Phil.  iii.  8,  9. 

v  Eph.  iii.  8.  a  Rom,  iii.  24.         c  -Phil.  iii.  3. 


AS  COMMITTED  AGAINST  GOD,  52CJ 

be  done  by ;  paying  your  debts,  at  the  time  agreed  upon,  and 
showing  mercy  to  the  poor?  Do  you  make  conscience  of  it, 
to  bridle  your  tongue,  to  avoid  tattling,  and  acting  as  busy- 
bodies  in  other  men's  matters  ?  Do  you  make  conscience  of 
it,  not  to  misjicMid  your  time  in  fruitless  visits  at  taverns ;  in 
frolics,  or  in  any  other  vain  or  unprofitable  way  :  but  to  de- 
vole  your  time  and  all  your  talents,  to  the  service  of  God  ? 
If  you  see  your  obligations  to  God,  you  will  make  conscience 
of  pleasing  him  in  all  things.  If  you  see  the  great  evil  of  sin, 
you  will  be  afraid  of  it  in  every  shape.  If  it  appears  to  yoa 
as  the  greatest  of  evils,  you  will  be  roost  afraid  of  it.  You 
will  be  more  afraid  of  sin,  than  of  any  worldly  loss,  or 
of  any  reproach,  or  shame,  or  suffering,  or  even  of  death 
itself.  However  it  may  be  with  a  good  man,  for  a  fit,  this  is 
his  habitual  temper  d.  Indeed,  in  general,  men  are  but  little 
afraid  of  sin  :  they  will  go  into  the  way  of  it:  they  will  run 
into  temptations,  to  taverns,  to  frolics,  to  vain  company ;  and 
care  but  little  or  nothing  about  the  love  of  God,  and  secret 
prayer  :  no,  nor  so  much  as  whether  they  are  honest  in  their 
dealings,  and  true  to  their  promises  :  and  yet,  alas  !  are  rea- 
dy to  imagine  themselves  to  be  the  children  of  God. 

However,  an  habitual  sense  of  the  great  evil  of  sin,  is  so 
essential  to  vital  piety,  that  without  it,  men,  (let  their  past  ex- 
periences and  their  present  pretences  be  what  they  will,)  are 
but  mere  hypocrites.  Their  repentance  is  counterfeit :  their 
faith  is  false:  their  religion  is  all  unsound.  If  you  know  not  the 
great  evil  of  sin,  you  know  nothing,  yet,  as  you  ought  to  know. 
You  are  a  stranger  to  God,  ignoiant  of  your  own  heart,  and 
of  the  deplorable  condition  you  are  in,  and  to  this  day  arc 
unhumbled,  impenitent,  and  unpardoned.  Wherefore,  con- 
sider these  things,  answer  these  questions ;  and  see,  and  say, 
what  is  your  state. 

Oh  !  how  doleful  is  the  state  of  secure,  Christless  sinners  ! 
At  enmity  against  God  !  Rebels  against  the  majesty  of  hea- 
ven !  Their  frame  of  heart  and  manner  of  life,  a  continual 
despising  the  Lord  !  a  grief  to  the  Holy  One  of  Israel !  a  con- 
stant provocation !  And  yet,  alas!  they  know  it  not;  nor 
does  it  once  enter  into  their  hearts  :  they  go  on  at  ease,  and 

4  Luke  sir.  26. 
VOL.    lit.  fi7 


THE    GREAT    EVIL    OP    SIN,    &C. 

are  merry,  as  though  all  were  well.  And  little  think  what 
is  just  before  them — The  day  of  accounts  drawing  nigh  ;  a 
day  of  darkness;  of  gloominess  ;  and  of  thick  darkness  ;  and 
of  great  wrath  ! 

Awake,  O  stupid  sinner !  Look  round  ;  see  what  you  do ; 
see  where  you  are  :  and  consider  what  will  be  the  end.  Can 
your  hands  be  strong,  or  your  heart  endure,  O  guilty  rebel;, 
when  GOD  ALMIGHTY  shall  come  forth  to  deal  with  you, 
according  to  your  crimes  ! 

Behold,  now  is  a  day  of  grace :  and  God  is  ready  to  be  re- 
conciled :  a  door  of  mercy  is  opened,  by  the  blood  of  the 
Son  of  GOD  :  pardon  and  peace  are  proclaimed  to  a  rebellious 
guilty  world.  Repent,  therefore,  and  be  converted;  that  your 
sins  may  be  blotted  out.  But  if  after  your  hardness  and  im- 
penitent htart,  you  will  venture  to  go  on,  treasuring  up  wrath 
against  the  day  oj  wrath  ;  you  are  like  to  know  it,  to  your, 
everlasting  sorrow,  that  it  is  a  fearful  and  horrible  thing,  to 
«z«  against  the  LORD. 

•• 


INDEX. 


.-— The  unit  figures,  i.  ii.  iii.   designate  the  volume,  the  other  igures  desig, 
n ate  the  page. 


ABRAHAM,  wisdom  of  God  in  his 
dealings  with,  i.  77.  Note. 

—  vocation  of,  i.  413.  ii.  29. 

—  how  justified  by  works,  ii.  113.  iii.  48. 
ACCEPTANCE  with  God,  war  and  man- 
ner of  for  sinners,  what,  i.  428. 

A  DAM,  the  public  head  and  representa- 
tive of  his  posterity,  i.  80.  221.  301. 
308.  312. 

—  his  sin  imputed  to  them,  i.  300. 

—  moral  image  of  God  in  which  he  was 
created,  what,  i.  197— 199. 

—  how  lost  by  die  fall,  iii.  336. 

—  made  a  free  agent,  i.  361. 

—  his  original  obligation  to  love   God, 
what,  i.  302.  ii.  254.    did  not   cease, 
nor  become  diminished  by  the  fall,  i. 
323. 

—  guilt  of  his  first  sin,  what,  i.  304. 

—  his  conduct  after  his  first  sin  consider- 
ed, iii.  27  I. 

—  his  trial  just,  i.  303.  and  good,  i.  305. 
ii.  56. 

—  his  representing  his  posterity,  justice 
of,  i.  307,  308. 

Adoption,  spirit  of,  what,  i.  451. 
Advantages,  religious,  of  the    heathen, 
what,  i.  165. 

—  of  the  Jews,  what,  i.  170—175.  iii. 
304. 

Aflections,  holy,  excited  by  divine  truth, 

ii.  529.  iii.  99. 
Amusements,  vain  and  fashionable,  sin 

and  danger  of,  ii.  301.  iii.  478—488. 
Antedeluvians,  dealings  of  God  with,  i. 

410 — 412. 

—  wickedness  of,  ibid. 
Antichrist,  reign  of,  i.  418. 
Antinomians,  definition  of,  ii.  375. 

—  doctrines  of,  ii.  260.  iii  118. 

—  errors  of,  respecting  humiliation,  i 
283. 

respecting  faith,  i.  379.  and  justify 

ing  faith,  ii.  193.  iii.  98.  294. 
— —  respecting  satiifectroa  for  sin.  i.  378 


Antinomians,  errors  of,  respecting  the 
law  and  its  requirements,  iii.  273. 

Antinomians,  have  no  true  ideas  of  the 
grace  of  the  gospel,  ii.  376.  not  of 
their  need  of  grace,  and  the  atone- 
merit  of  Christ,  iii.  275.  but  are  ene- 
mies to  the  gospel,  ii.  376. 

Antinomian  spirit,  the  source  of  infide- 
lity, ii.  385. 

Antinomianism,  gross  and  refined,  dif- 
ference between  them,  what,  iii.  11 8. 

—  blow  at  the  root  of,  iii.  79. 
Angels,  elect,  ii.  65. 

—  confirmed  in  holiness,  when,  ii.  66. 

—  uses  of  ihcfall  of  angels  and  men 
to  them,  what,  ii.  65. 

—  their  reflections  on  it,  ii.  68,  69. 

—  their  reflections   on  the  death  of 
Christ,  ii.  72. 

—  their  reflections  on  the  death  of 
Antichrist,  and  the  millennium,  ii.  72. 

—  their  glory  consists  in,  what,  i.  522i 
Ajiostacy  of  angels  and  men,  conducive 

to  the  glory  of  God,  and  to  the  good 
of  the  moral  system,  ii.  78. 

Aristocles,  minister  of  the  church  In 
Siena,  character  of,  iii.  382. 

Arminians,  errors  of,  respecting  the 
doctrines  of  grace,  what,  i.  399. 

— —  respecting  the  law  and  its  require- 
ments, iii.  272. 

—  religious  exercises  of,  not  according 
to  the  gospel,  iii.  42.     Note. 

Atheism,  practical,  what,  iii.  452. 
Atonement  of  Christ,  necessity  of,  L  35% 
391.  ii.  344.  356. 

—  made  by  his  blood,  i.  366. 

—  opens  the  way  for  the  free  exercisfc 
of  grace  to  a  sinful  world,  i.  373. 

—  not  to  be  considered  a*  paying  a  debt, 
i.  379. 

—  extent  of,  i    382. 

—  sufficient  for  all  mankind,  i.  386. 

—  consequences  of  supposing  it  limited 
to  the  elect,  what,  i.  383.  ii.  227. 

—  objections  to  universal  atoncjnrntJlR- 
swered,  i.  391— 402-. 


532 


INDEX. 


Atonement,  importance  of  the  doctrine, 
ii.  341. 

—  necessary,  why,  i.  391 — 402. 
Atonement,  taught  by  the  Aiosaic  dis- 
pensation, iii.  43. 

—  the  importance  of  seeing  our  need  of 
it,  i.  355.  seeing  our  need  of  Chi-ist, 
•what,  i.  356.ii.  299.  383. 

Assurance,  Christian,  attainable,  i.  248. 
iii.  363.  and  how,  ii.  274 — 277.  iii. 
90. 

—  was  possessed  by  all  Christians  in  the 
apostolic  age,  ii.  288.  iii.  362. 

—  doctrine  of,  considered,  ii.  274.  325. 

—  not  of  the  essence  of  faith,  iii.  81 
83. 

—  controversy  about  it,  considered,  ibid. 
Authades,  account  of,  iii.  384. 
Awakened  sinners,  doings  and  exercises 

of  considered,  i.  222.  234 — 236. 
* — directions  to  be   given  them,  what, 
iii.  261.  and  passim. 

—  nature   of  their  prayers,  what,    ii. 
306.  iii.  419. 


Backsliders,  to  return  to  God,  how,  i. 

410.  ii.  296. 
Baptism,  qualifications    for,    what,   iii. 

164.  342. 

—  design  of,  what  is  implied  in  this  co- 
venant, iii.  165.  396.402. 

—  covenant  entered  into  by  adults, what, 
iii.  342. 

—  duty  of  those  under  baptismal  vows, 
what,  iii.  403,  404.  421. 

—  obligations  arising  from  thence,  what, 
iii.  468. 470. 

—  infant,  a  covenant  entered  into  by 
the  parent,  iii.  184.  402. 

—  does  not  entitle   the   subject  of  it  to 
all  church  privileges,  iii.  1 88.    nor  lay  j 
God  under   any   obligations  to  grant  j 
them  saving  grace,  iii.  278.  402.  421. ; 

—duty  of  parents  who  have  dedicated  [ 
their  children  to  God  in  baptism,  how , 
neglected,  iii.  403.  411.  469. 

—  directions  given  to  persons,  how  to 
become  fitted  to  offer  their  children 
in  baptism,  what,  iii.  426  443.          ^> 

Baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  seals  of 
the  covenant  of  grace  only,  iii.  161.' 
and  passim. 

Believers^  and  their  «ervice,s  accepted 
in  Christ,  i.  103.  and  rewarded,  ibid. 

—  not  justified  for  their   faith,  iii.  50. 

—  Low  justified,  iii.  51. 

—  their  spiritual  conflict,  i.  246. 

—  their  views  in  believing,  what,  iii.  55. 


Believing  that  our  sins  are  forgiven,  not 

justifying  faith,  iii.  92.  and  passim. 
Bellamy,  Dr.  Joseph,  life  of,  i.  31 — 40. 

—  itinerant   as  a   preacher    in  several 
parts  of  New-England,  5.  32. 

—  his  works,  a  catalogue  of,  i.  36. 

—  his  system  of  theological  questions,  i. 
34. 

—  his  religious  sentiments,  what,  i.  36. 

—  his  death  and  funeral,  i.  39. 

—  his  directions  how  to  profit  by  a  pe- 
rusal of  his  works,  what,  i.  51. 

Benevolence  of  God,  i.  342. 

—  tendency  of  the  gospel  to  produce,  i. 
461 

Blessings  of  the  gospel  conditional,  ii. 
246.  iii.  114. 

—  temporal,  all   the   fruits  of  Christ's 
purchase,  i.  405. 

Blameworthiness  of  the  sinner,  denial  of, 
is  a  denial  of  the  divinity  of  God,  iii. 
266. 

Blood  of  Christ,  efficacy  of,  i.  366. 

—  gives  encouragement  to  all  sinners  to 
return  to  God,  i.  386. 

Boston,  Mr.  on  the  two  covenants, 
scheme  of,  ii.  242.  Note. 


C 


Calling,  effectual,  what,  ii.  536. 

Calvinistic  doctrines,  whether  they  tend 
to  licentiousness,  or  to  the  disuse  of 
the  means  of  grace,  considered,  iii. 
34O. 

Carnal  mind,  enmity  of,  proved,  iii.  304. 

—  consists  in  what,  iii.  309. 
Character  of  the    persons  addressed  in 

St.  Paul's  epistle   to  the  Galatians, 

iii.  9. 

Charity,  evangelical,  what,  iii.  269. 
Christ  the  second  Adam,  i.  309.  315. 

—  the  anointed,  i.  369. 

—  infinite  dignity  of,  i.  366.  ii.  314. 

—  High  priest,  i.  357.  369,  464. 

—  sufficiently  authorised  to  be  a  media-' 
tor,  i.  368. 

—  divine  and  human  nature  of,  united, 
i.  477. 

—  humiliation  of,  ibid. 

—  exaltation  of,  i.  482. 

—  intercession  of,  i.  374. 

—  necessary  that  he  should  be  God,  iii. 
528, 

—  has  made  satisfaction  to  divine  jus- 
tice, i.  369.  373 

Christ's  death,  designed  not  to  procure 
a  repeal  of  the  law,  nor  any  abate- 
ment of  it,  i.  121.  but  to  fulfil  all  the 
demands  of  the  hw,  i.  122, 


INDEX.  533 

Christ's  death,  not  to  lessen  the  evil  of  Covenant  of  grace,  blessings  of,  what, 
sin,  i  377.   nor  to  draw  forth  the  love  i      i.  450. 
arid  pitx  of  Got!  to  sinners,  5.378.        |  —  condition  of,  what,  5.453.  ii.  240. 

—  designed  to  honor  the  divine  law,   ii.  ]  —  stability  of,  i.  454. 

278 — .182.  I  —  is  conditional,  ii.  246.  iii.  113. 

—  the  highest  proof  of  the  goodness  of '  —conditions  of,  to  be  complied  with, 
the  law,  ii.  386.  before  we  arc  entitled  to  its  blessings, 

Christ  formed  in  the  soul,  what,  i.   516.:      iii.  114. 

Christian  faith,  assent  to  the  articles  of,  !  —  is  made    to   believers,    iii.    126.    to 
has  been  uniformly  a  term  of  commu- 1        none  els.e,  iii.  278. 
nion  in   special  ordinances,   in  New-  ( —  the  only    covenant  extant    between 
England,  iii   S71.  God  and  man,  iii.  420. 

Christian,  marks  of,  what,  and  how  dis-!  — is  conditional,  iii  228. 


covered,  i.  268 — 274. 

—  character  of,  drawn  by  our  Saviour, 
ii.  278. 

Christianity,  happy   effects  of,   on   the 

lives  of  men,  considered,  i.  53S. 
Christian  love,  what,  i.  182. 

—  conflict,  what,  i.  244. 

Christian    diligence    and   watchfulness, 

motives  to,  i.  285 — 292. 
Christlt-ss  sinner,  what  is  meant  by,  iii. 

274. 

—  has  no  covenant-right  to  any  good, 


—  seal  of,  may  be  applied  to  infants,  iii. 
135.  parents'  covenant  for  them,  iii. 
184. 

—  Gentiles  admitted  into  this  covenant 
on  the  day  of  Penticost,  iii.  156.  their 
profession,  what,  iii.  159.  their  eviden- 
ces of  grace,    what,    iii    160. 

—  complying  with  this  covenant,  what, 
iii.  211.415. 

—  performing  the  conditions  necessary 
to  enjoy  its  blessings,  iii.  228. 

—  it  requires   holiness,  iii.  408.    moral 
sincerity  is  insufficient,  iii.  435. 


—  no  graceless  heart  complies  with   it, 


iii.  282- 
Children,   morally   depraved,  i.  200 — 

203  iii.  416  435.  pretending  to  do  it  is  wil- 

—  whether  desirable, since  they  are  born         fill  lying,  iii.  434. 

in  sin,  i.  336.  j  Covenant  with  Abraham,  a  covenant  oT 

—  of  believers  entitled  to  baptism,   and        grace,  iii    131  and  passim   22P. 
\»hy,  iii.  ISC.  ! — was  conditional,  iii.  228. 

—  advantages  of  baptised   children  pi- !  —  consequences  of  supposing  it  tmcon- 
ously  dedicated  to  (So«l,  what,  iii   186.  |      ditional,  whnt,  iii.  230.  and   passim. 


—  the  Lord's  property,  why,  iii.  464. 

Coming  to  Christ,  consciousness  of,   ne- 

ccssarv  to  assurance  of  an  interest  iu 


—  required  faith  and  holy  obedience,  iii 
228. 

—  circumcision  the  seal  of  it,  iii.  132. 


him,  iii.  105 — 119.  j—  baptism   the  seal  of  the    same  cove- 

Common  and  special  grace,  difference  I      nant  under  the  gospel,  iii.  135. 

between  them,  what,  iii.  240.  —  it  promised  eternal  life  to  them  that 

Confidence,  difference  between  true  and  •      complied  with  it,  iii.  133  228- 

false,  what,  i.  252,  253.     Note.          I  —  faith  entitled  Abraham  to   its  bles- 
Confidence  that  our  scheme  of  religion  is  |      sings,  iii- 134. 

right,  no  proof  of  orthodoxy,  iii.  .365.    J  Covenant,  graceless,  none  existing  be- 
Conscientiousness    in    wrong    conduct,;      tween  God  and  man,  iii.  155.  207. 400- 

docs  not  exempt  from  blame,  iii.  367. '      424. 

Conscience,  a  case  pf,  resolved,  iii  67.    '  definition  of,  iii.  211. 

Constitution,  original,  made  with  Adam,  — —  supposed  conditions  of,  what,  iii. 


302. 

holy,  just,  and  good,  i.  305. 
•  equitable  for  his  posterity,  i  306. 


212. 

—  use  of  it  a  proof  of  graeelessness 
among  a  people,  iii.  369. 


Conversion,   true,  nature  and   manner '  will  be  laid  aside  when  religion   is 

of,  what,  i.  226.  431.  revived,  iii.  370. 
consists  in,  what,  i.  231.    ii.  266.   Covenant,  external,  in  what    sense  un- 


and  Note. 
— —  evidences  of,  what,  i.  268. 

its  counterfeits,  what,  i.  229. 

Convictions,  genuine,  what,  i.  226. 
—  legal,  uses  of,  w  hat,  iii.  285. 
Cornelius,  in  what  sense  a  believer,  and 

accepted  before  hearing  the   gospel, 

iii.  156. 


dcrstood  by  Mr.  Mather,  iii.  126. 

essentially  different  from  the 

gospel  covenant,  iii.  154.  and  pas- 
sim. 

vague  and  unintelligible,  iii.  168. 

217. 


&S4 


INDEX. 


Covenant,  external,  not  a  means  of  con- 
version to  sinners,  iii.  236. 

——is  inconsistent,  iii.  234. 

not   adapted  to  the  state  of  a  sin- 
ner under  conviction,  iii.  173. 
.     .  compliance   with,  not  a  means  of 
grace  and  conversion,  iii.  197. 

no  definable  qualifications  short  of 

repentance  and  faith,  iii.  172.  216. 
218.  221. 

i  Mr.  Mather's  scheme,  view  of,  iii. 
209.  290.  292.  is  inconsistent,  iii.  128. 
343.  and  Note. 

Covenant  with  the  Israelites  at  Sinai, 
what,  iii.  140. 

—  conditions  of  with  which  the  Israel- 
ites professed  to  comply,  iii.  141. 

—  the    same  as  repentance    and  faith, 
.ibid. 

—  in  what  sense  it  was  a  covenant  of 
grace,  iii.  155. 

—  the  law  of  Moses  the  rule  of  duty  in 
this  covenant,  how  understood  by  Je- 
sus Christ,  iii.  145. 

—  the  law  required  holiness,  iii.  143 — 
148. 

Covenanting,  church,  qualifications  for, 
what,  iii.  169.  172.367.  401. 

promises  of  sincere  endeavors  in- 
sufficient, iii.  171. 

-! unregenerate  unbelieving  persons 

improper  subjects  for,  iii.  1 72.  have 
BO  right  to  promise  obedienceby  Di- 
vine assistance,  iii.  283.  289. 

-—compliance  with  the  covenant  of 
grace  alone  entitles  to  its  blessings, 
Ki. -176.  228. 

views  and  feelings  with  which 

we  ought  to  covenant,  iii,  176,  177. 

assurance   not  necessary  to  it,  iii. 


178.  561. 
—  different 


circumstances     of     the 


first  Christians  and  professors  of  the 
present  day,  to  be  considered  in  judg 
ing  of  qualifications,  iii.  183,  184. 

unregenerate    persons    improper 

subjects  for  covenanting,  iii.  218.  and 
passim.  277.  ;  have  no  title  to  any 
Divine  blessings,  iii.  281.  have  no 
holy  exercises,  iii.  285  .their  enmity 
against  God  disqualifies  them  for 
sealing  ordinances,  iii.  313.  dircc- 


fit  and  worthy  subjects  of  it,  iii.  445. 

Covenant,  half-way,  considered,  iii.  393. 

.         nature  of,  what,  iii.  438. 

— —  not  practised  upon  at  the  first  set- 
tling of  New-England,  iii.  394.  412. 

sets  aside  the  command  of  Christ, 


—  profession  made  by  those  who  own 
it,  whatj  iii.  398. 


Covenant,  half-way,  absardity  of,  iii.  399. 
423. 

effects  of,  what,  iii.  411. 

why  this  covenant  is  retained  and 

practised  upon,  iii  414.  432. 

Church  of  God  miraculously  preserved 
in  the  world,  i.  420. 

Church,  primitivs,  not  an  example  to 
others  in  the  admission  of  members, 
and  why,  iii.  358. 

ChuncJi,  visible,  nature  of,  iii.  135. 

•  believers  the  only  proper  subjects 
of  admission  into  it,  iii.  150.  none 
others  comply  with  the  conditions 
of  the  covenant,  iii.  205,  200. 

Churches,  duty  of,  respecting  the  ad- 
mission of  members,  what,  iii.  357. 
375. 

—  duty  of,  towards  baptised   persons., 
what,  iii.  469. 

Creation,  account  of,  ii.  53. 

Cross  of  Christ,  motives  and  encou- 
ragement from  thence  to  repentance 
and  reconciliation,  ii.  309. 

—  calls  to  repentance,  ii.  458. 

—  displays  the  Divine  perfections  an< 
the  evil  of  sin,  ii.  467. 

Creed^apostles',  so  called,  very  ancient, 
iii.  338. 

—  articles  of,  what,  ibid. 

Creed,  Christian,  compared  with  the 
Arminian,  and  that  of  Mr.  Mather, 
iii.  338. 

belief  of,  implies,  what,  iii.  341. 

Creeds  and  confessions,  necessity  and 
use  of,  iii.  43.  372. 

—  Christian   communities  have  a  right 
to  form  and  impose  them,  iii.   373, 
374. 

—  in   what  cases  they  may  be  altered, 
iii.  380. 

Cudworth,  Dr.  his  notions  of  the  pre- 
sent system  of  the  world,  as  being  the 
best,  ii.  135. 

Gudworth,  Mr.  errors  of,  respecting  the 
foundation  of  love  to  God,  ii.  351. 
Note.  306.  Note.  369.  Note.  416. 


I) 


Dana,  Kev.    Mr.    strictures  upon, 
387.  and  passim. 


lions  given  to   such,  how  to  become^  David,  the  great  evil  of  his  sin,  in  the 


case  with  Uriah,    consisted  in,  wliat, 
iii.  500. 

—  conduct  of,  what,  501. 

Day   of  grace,    enjoyed  by   all    gospel 

•  sinners,  i   423. 

Death  threatened  to  Adam,    temporal, 
spiritual,  and  eternal,  i.  305. 

—  the  same  implied  in  the  curse  up.cfic 
all  transgressors,  iii.  STG. 


INDEX. 


Death,  preparation  For,  what  is  im- 
plied in,  i.  15 — 20. 

Declarative  glory  of  God,  whether  Cod 
does  design  and  act  to  promote  it,  ii. 
135. 

Decreeing  the  everlasting  misery  of  his 
creatures,  inconsistent  with  the  good- 
ness of  God,  stated  and  answered, 
i.  91.  Note. 

Delight  in  God,  true  and  false,  what, 
iii.  317. 

Depravity  of  man,  i.  200. 

—  Its  extent,  i.  206. 

—  manifest  in  children,  i.  200 — 203. 

—  evidenced  in  their  IOTC  of  self,    and 
contempt  of  God,  i.  208 — 212. 

— —  in  their  departure  from  God,  and 
hatred  of  him,  i.  212—215. 

-^—  in  their  resisting  the  spirit  of  grace, 
i.  230.  and  opposing  the  gospel, i.  233. 

—  criminality  of  it,  i.  219 — 221. 

—  evidences  of  it,  i.  316. 
Depravity,  total,  definition  of,  iii.  237. 
Devotedness  to  God,  what,  i.  193,  194. 

285. 

—  reasonableness  of,  i.  276.  285. 

—  necessity  of,  i.  287. 

—  obligations  to  do  it,  what,  i.  460. 

—  directions  how  to  do  it,  what,  i.  291. 
Dickinson,  Mr.   Jonathan,    notions    of, 

respecting  infant  baptism,  and  the 
Abrahamic  covenant,  what,  iii.  356. 

Different  experiences  ami  conduct  of 
sinners,  under  the  strivings  of  the 
spirit,  what,  i.  421. 

Difficulties  of  believing  the  gospel,  from 
what  arising,  ii.  268. 

Discipline,  church,  not  maintained  by 
false  churches,  iii.  196. 

Directions  to  be  given  to  awakened  sin- 
ners, what,  iii.  261. 

Doubting,  mistakes  about  it,  what,  i. 
252. 

—  is  different  from  weak  faith,  ii.  195. 

Divinity  of  Christ,  i.  463.  and  passim. 

Divine  will,  can  that  be  evil  which  ex- 
actly coincides  with  the,  considered, 
ii.  148. 

Dunlop,  Mr.  his  decisions  respecting 
public  creeds,  what,  iii.  374.  381. 

Duty,  what  God  requires  of  us  in  his 
law,  i.  53. 

—  motives  from  which  it  must  be  done, 
ibid.       ',  V- 

-*-  the  measure  of  which  God  requires 
in  his  law,  what,  i.  54. 


Edwards,  President,  sentiments  of,  res- 
pecting Dime  HUuaiaation,  wh»t;  ii. 


Edwards,  President,  the  author's  opinion 
respecting  his  works,  ii.  509.  512.  iii. 
368. 

Election,  personal  and  absolute,  i.  390. 

Elect,  (.oil's  designs  towards,  what,  i. 
332. 

—  under   condemnation  while  unbelie- 
vers, L  397.  iii.  279.  and  passim. 

Election  sermon,  i.  517. 

Enlightened  sinners  invited  to  come  to 

Christ,  iii.  109. 
Enmity   against  God    and    Christ  the 

same,  iii.  326. 
Enmity   against   God,  whether  arising1 

merely  from  considering  6ted  to  be 

our  enemy,  iii.  293. 

—  whether   we  are  enemies  only    to 
false  and  mistaken  ideas  of  the  Deity, 
iii.  301.   or  to  his  true  character,  iii. 
303. 

—  in  what  this  enmity  and  contrariety 
consists,  iii.  S10. 

—  criminality  of  it,  iii.  31S. 
Encouragement    to     return    to     God, 

through  Christ,   ground  of,  ii.    263. 
Encouragement  to  all  sinners  to  return. 

through  the  blood  of  Christ,  i.  386. 
Enthusiasts,  love  and  zeal  of,  what,  i) 

205.  229. 

—  faith  of,  i.  445. 

—  delusions  of,  i.  446. 

—  conduct  of,  what,  ii.  289 .  295; 

—  faW  pretensions  of,  to  inspiration  and, 
extraordinary  sanctity,  i.  SO. 

Enquiries  respecting  the  duty  of  the 
unrcgeneratc,  in  the  use  of  meaus> 
answered,  iii.  257.  and  with  what  pro- 
bability of  success  attended,  iii  259. 

Eternal  damnation  of  the  impenitent, 
just  and  glorious,  i.  201. 

Eunuch,  faith  of  the,  what,  iii.  15$: 
410. 

Evidences  of  revelation,  external,  insuf 
ficient  to  convince  the  heart,  ii.  208-. 
Note.  334. 

Examination,  self,  how  to  be  perform: 
ed,  i.  267. 

—  standard  by  which,  i.  269. 
Excellency  of  the  Divine  nature,  the 

foundation  of  moral  obligation,  i.  127. 

Excellence,  moral,  not  amiable  but  odi- 
ous to  sinners,  i.  151.  154. 

Existence,  whether  a  blessing,  confli- 
dered,  i.  333.  iii.  327. 

Exhortations,  and  promises  of  the  gos- 
pel, a  view  of,  iii.  248. 

—  certain   connexion  between  the  first 
act  of  compliance  with  the   gospel,, 
and  the  enjoyment  of  its  W«»ngs,  Ci. 


536 


INDEX. 


Experiences,  differen«e  of  in  the  u 
converted,  i.  422. 


Pall  of  Adam  forekn  own,  i.    307.  an 
decreed,  how,  i-  308. 

—  man's  deplorable  state  by  it,  i.  33 

—  manner  of,   what,  ii.  56. 

—  temporal  evils  entailed  on  mankin 
by  it,  what,  i.  404- 

—  reflections  of  the  elect  angels  upo 
the  fall  of  man,  ii.  60. 

Fall  of  angels  and  men  wisely  permitte 
by  God,  i.  89.  ii  64 

—  to  display  his  own  perfections,   i.  90 
ii.  78.  82.  169. 

Faith,  saving,  nature  of,  i.  426. 

—  definition  of,  ii.  303. 

—  consists  in,  what,  i.  434. 

—  various  senses  of,  i-  436. 
—justifying,  what,  i.  437. 

—  not  a  persuasion  that  Christ  died  fo 
me,  ii.  193.  224. 

—  fruits  of,  what,  i.  435.  438. 

—  perpetuity  of,  i.  440. 

—  unites  to  Christ,  i.  456.  ii.  239.  272 
iii.  80. 

—  is  before  justification,  iii.  80. 
Faith  of  the  legal   hypocrite,  what,  i 

442. 

—  of  the  evangelical  hypocrite,  what,  i 
444. 

faith,  self-righteous,  what,  ii.  240. 
Faith,  passive,  not  evangelical,  ii.   403 

iii.  252.  258. 
Faith,  appropriating,  mistakes  about,  ii 

226.  250.  Hi   IOC.  107. 

doctrine  of,  dangerous,  iii.  112. 

faith,  blind,  condemned,  ii.  285. 
Faith    always  founded  on  evidence,  ii. 

231.  250. 
Faith  required  of  the  Israelites,  what, 

iii.  HO. 

Faith  of  miracles,  what,  iii.  116. 
Faith,  true  and  counterfeit,  difference 

between,  ii.  270—273.  464. 
Filial  frame  of  spirit,  peculiar  to  be- 
lievers, i.  452. 
Finite  beings,    mutable  and    peccable, 

why,  ii.  57. 

•—  incapable  of  making  atonement  lot 
'    the  least  si n,  iii.  5122. 
F-lavel,  Mr.  his  nations  respecting  tbe 

priority  of  regeneration  to  faith,  what, 

iii.   334.    Note. 
Forbearance  of  God  to  a   sinful  world, 

i   404 

Foreknowledge  of  God,  i.  3iO. 
—  connected    with    tbreUeter initiation, 

i.  388. 


Foreordination,  ii.  32. 

Forgetfulness    of  God,    criminality    of, 

what,  iii   462. 
Forgiveness,  a  spirit  of,    necessary    to 

our  beii'g  forgiven,  ii.  445 
Free-grace,  the  only   gixwnd  of   hope 

and  salvation,  i.  107.   125.  iii.  54. 
—  gives  ample  encouragement  to  return 

to  God  through  Christ,  i.  399.  iii.  109. 


G. 


God,  his  infinite  understandigg  display- 
ed, i.  72. 

—  his  infinite  power,  i.  73. 

—  his  infinite  wisdom,  i.  74.  ii.  34. 

—  his  infinite  purity  and  holiness,  i.  77. 

—  his  impartial  justice,  i.  ,82.  ii.  391. 

—  his  infinite  goodness,  i.  84. 

•  displayed  in  the  gift  of  his  son* 
and  spirit,  i.  85.  iii.  523. 
—  in  his  providence,  i.   86. 

—  his  truth  and  faithfulness,  i.  92. 

—  liis  sovereignty  vindicated,  i.  87. 

—  his  lore  of  holiness  and  hatred  of  in- 
iquity, how  manifested,  i.  80. 

his  last  end  in  creating  and  governing 
the  world,    what,  i.  90. 

—  the  display  of  his  own  perfections,  i. 
90.  ii.  337 

—  not  merely    the  happiness  of  his 
creatures,  i.  91.  ii    109.  iii    459. 

—  objection    to  this   stated   and    an- 
swered, i.  261. 

—  to  be  loved  for  what  he  is  in    him- 
self, ii.  203    321    404. 

—  worthy  of  being  loved  and  obeyed,  i. 
Iff  4.  127. 

—  his  claims  to  our  homage,  love,    and 
obedience,  reasonable,  i.  78.  iii.  457 
464. 

—  mean  and  contemptuous  thoughts  of 
him  which  the  wicked  have,  i.   ^09. 

—  in  what  sense  grieved  by  the  wicked- 
ness of  men,  ii.   157.  iii    509. 

—  will  overrule  it  to  his  own  glory,  and 
the  good  of  the  system,  i.  511.  (Sec 
sin,  permission  of,") 

—  tue    supreme  good,  ii.  427 — 432. 

—  unchangeable,  ii.   180. 

—  recoueileable  to   the   world,  i.    39*. 
how,  ii.  309. 

•  wUUng  to  be  reconciled  to  all  that 
return  to  him  through  Jesus  Christ, 
ii.  432. 

—  justifier  of  all  them   that  believe  ra 
Jesus,  ii.  392. 

od's  lore,  greatness  of,  manifested,  i. 
338.  ii.  218. 

his  love  to  the  world,  how  mani- 
fested, i.  297. 


INDEX. 


537 


God,  new  character  of  revealed  in  the 

gospel,  whether  true,  considered,  iii. 

246.  290.  and  passim. 
God  of  this- world,  ii.  489. 
Goodaest  of  God  to  sinners,  self-moved, 

i.  87.  330.  ii.  263. 
Glory   of   God,    the  principal    motive 

and  ultimate  end  of  virtuous  actions, 

i.  64: 

—  a   sense  of  it,  *  cure   for   false  no- 
tions in  religion,  iii.  35. 

—  declarative  glory   of  God,  whether 
God  does  always  design   and  act  to 
promote  it,   ii.  135. 

Gospel,   definition  of,  ii.  340. 

—  nature  and  design  of,  to  make  men 
holy,  i.  460. 

—  a  transcript  of  the  Divine  nature,i.374. 

—  glory  of,  i.  S75.  ii.  S48. 

—  nature  of,  what,  ii.  340. 

—  requirements  of,  what,  i.  332. 

—  offers  a  good  of  infinite  value,  ii.  433. 
•—  offers  of  made  to.all,  i.  381. 

—  its  offers  and  encouragements  to  sin- 
ners, what,  ii.  309.  iii.  109. 

—compliance  with,  what,  i.  430.  (See 
covenant  of  grace.) 

—  calls  us  to  IOTC  that  character  of  God, 
exhibited  in  the  la\r,  iii.  318. 

Gospel  at  variance  with  the  Arminian 
scheme,  iii.  42. 

Government  of  God,  wisdom  and  recti- 
tude of,  ii.  114.  175. 

—  the  joy  of  holy  beings,  ii.    112 — 117. 
524. 

—  his  government  of  the  world  consi- 
dered, i.  70 — 92. 

Grace,  free,  the  only  ground  of  hope 
and  salvation,  i.  107.  125.  iii.  54. 

common,  resisted,  i  230 — 236. 

-• special,  irresistible,  i.  237. 

ineffectual,  i  240. 

extent  of,  i.  421. 

— —  different  measures  of,  ibid. 

—  restraining,  i  216. 

—  discriminating,  i.  239.    . 
——sovereignty  of,  i.  238. 

indefectibility  of,  i.  440.  449. 

Grace,  true,  evidences  of,  what,  i.  247. 
asccrtainable,  i.  248.  how,  249. 

—  false  grounds  of  judging  of  them, 
ibid. 

— —  rules  for  determining  and  ascer- 
taining these  evidences,  i.  267. 

—  false  experiences,  what,  i.  421. 
— growth  in  grace,  the  best  evidence  of 

grace,  i.  442.  ii.  296. 

—  common  and  special  grace  different, 
iii.  246. 

Guilt  of  the  damned  ever  increasing,  i. 
109. 
TOT..  III. 


H. 


Happiness  of  creatures,  whether  God's 
last  end,  considered,  i.  261.  ii.  109. 
iii.  35.  Note. 

Heathen,  their  moral  state,  means  of 
•  knowledge,  abuse  of  privileges,  and 
iaexcusableness,  i.  163 — 178.  justly 
punishable,  ibid,  ii  203.  iii.  279. 

—  are  haters  of  God,  and  objects  of  his 
displeasure,  i.  419 

—  uiider  the  law,  and  bound  to  render 
perfect  obedience   to  it,  i.   104.  iii. 
279. 

—  bound  to  love  God  with  all  the  heart, 
ii.  203  204 

—  their  ignorance  inexcusable,  i.  IC6. 

—  their  abuse  of  the    means  of  know- 
ledge, and  rejection  of  the  gospel,  the 
cause    of  its   being  withholdeu  from 
them,  i.  164. 

Heaven,  a  title  to,  obtained  by  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ,  i.  16. 

—  preparation  for,  consists   in    a   holy 
temper  of  heart,  1   17,   18. 

—  its  blessedness  described,  ii.  87. 
High -priest,  office   of,  under  the  law, 

ii.  379.  iii.  17.  43. 
Holiness  of  God,  i   341. 

—  displayed  in  the  sufferings  of  Christ, 
i.  340-^-343. 

—  in  his  punishing  the  wicked,  i  343. 
Holiness   required   in   the  Divine    law, 

what,  iii.  268. 
Hopkins,  Dr.  notions  of,  respecting  the 

doings  of  the  unregenerate,  what,  iii. 

427. 
Humiliation   the  duty  of  Christians,    i. 

105. 

—  necessary  for  receiving  the  gospel,  i. 
107. 

—  reasons  for,  motives  to,   and  means 
of,  what,  i.  276— 283. 

—  errors  of  Antinomians,  respecting  it, 
i.  283. 

—  evangelical,  nature  of,  what,  i.  433. 
Humility,  the  distinguishing  character- 
istic of  the  Christian,  ii.  521. 

—  effects  of,  what,  ii.  522. 

Hj  pocrite,  legal,  his  hopes  built  on  the 
sand,  i.  126. 

—  evangelical,    the    foundation  of   his 
faith  and  joy,  what,  i.  126. 

Hypocrites  see  no  need  of  Christ,  i. 
434. 

—  deceptions  of,  what,  i.  445. 


Idolatry,  prevalence  of,  after  the  flood, 
i.  412.  iu.  304. 
68 


5SB 


INDIA 


Illumination,  spiritual,  nature  and  ne- 
cessity of,  i.  95.  116.  376.  440.  ii.  299. 

.  .       necessity  of,  i.  426.  451. 

Illumination,  Divine,  nature  of,  what, 
ii.  499. 

— —  peculiar  to  the  saved,  u  506. 

•  "  '  different  from    what  natural  men 
experience,  how,  ii.  509. 

effects  of,  what,  ii.  510. 

.  i  i.  is  the  beginning  of  spiritual,  and 
the  earnest  of  eternal  life,  ii.  526. 

Impenitence  of  the  wicked,  voluntary, 
i.  395  and  criminal,  i.  396. 

Imperfection,  remains  of,  in  believers, 
what,  i.  60.  and  Note. 

Imputation  of  Adam's  sin  to  his  poste- 
rity, considered,  i  221.  300.  312. 

—  of  Christ's  righteousness  to  believers, 
doctrine  of,  i.  457. 

Inability,  moraf,  criminal  ami  punish- 
able, i.  150—163. 

— —  extent  of,  i.  226. 

— —  nature  of,  what,  ii.  49ft. 

-— —  consequences  of  denying  it,  what, 
i.  258. 

Indignation  of  God  against  sin,  reason- 
ableness  of,  ii.  359. 

Indwelling  sin,  in  believers,  i.  246. 

—  of  the  Spirit  in  do.  i.  449. 

Infants,  baptised,  whether  members  of 
the  visible  church,  considered,  iii.  187. 

•  a       consequences  of  supposing  them 

entitled  to  all  church  privileges,  what, 
iii.  188.  and  passim. 

Infidelity,  in  the  hearts  of  unregene- 
rate  men.  i.  459.  ii.  210.  299 

Infinite  wisdom  and  rectitude  of  the  Di- 
vine nature  and  government,  ii.  114. 

—  belief  of  this  essential  to  the  founda- 
tion of  true  religion,  ti.  Ii9.  175. 

Israelites,  dealings  of  Ood  with,  i.  76. 
170—176.  415. 

—  inexcusable  in  their  disobedience  and 
unbelief,  i.  170—175 

—  their  receiving  the   law  upon  mount 
Sinai,  iii.  15. 

—  then*  unbelief,  and  its  consequences, 
what,  iii.  115 

—  designs  of  God,  in  his  deafigs  to- 
wards them,  what,  i.  76. 

—  how  they  obtained  pardon,  ii.  444. 
Isralites,  circumcised,  duties   of,  what, 

iii.  138.  Note 

Irresistible  grace,  necessary  to  conver- 
sion, i.  237. 

Invitations  of  God,  the  ground  of  a 
sinner's  encouragement  to  come  to 
him,  i.  400.  ii.  241.  263.  3<J6.  4S4. 
Note. 


J. 


Jews,  dealings  of  God  towards  them, 
i.  416. 

—  unbelief  and  disobedience  of,  i  bid. 

—  how  justified  under  the  law,  iii.  52. 
Jewish  dispensation,     an     acknowledge 

ment  of  the  holiness  of  the  moral 
law,  and  necessity  of  aa  atonement, 
ii.  378.  iii.  52. 

—  preparatory  to  the  Christian  dispen- 
sation, ii.  29.  378.  m.  ICh  21.  56. 

Jewish  religion,  divinity  of,  ii.  26; 
Job's  religion  not  selfish,  iii.  299. 
Joy,  false,  what,  ii   283. 

source  of,  what,  ii.  425. 

John  the  Baptist,  preaching  of,  what. 

ii.  450. 
Justice  of  God,  i.  82.  343. 

—  punitive  justice,  nature  of,  i.  346. 

—  displayed  in  the  death  of  Christ,  i. 
353.  371.  ii.  391. 

Judgment,  final,  described1,  ii.  84. 

reflections  of  angels  and  saints  up- 
on its  transactions,  ii.  88.  97. 

Justification  by  free  grace,  doctrine  of, 
i.  356.  iii.  79. 

—  manner  of,  what,  ii  410. 

—  by  faith  alone,  i.  457.  not   by  man's 
righteousness,    ii.  409.   nor    for    h» 
graces,  ii.  411. 

—  impossible  by   works  ef  law,  i.  123, 
iii.  22.  or  by  sincere-  obedience,   iii. 
4,5. 

—  by  works,  how  understood,  iii.   48. 
Justifying  faith,  what,  i.  437. 

—  nature  of,  and  what   implied   i»  it^ 
ni.   60 — 66. 

—  fruits  of,  what,  iii.  66. 

—  is  not  believing  that  to  be  true  which 
was  not  true  before,  iii.  88. 

—  is  not  believing  that  our  sins  are  for- 
given, ii.  253.  iii.  92.  101. 

—  illustrated  in  twenty-four  particulars1, 
iii.  63—67. 

—  is  not  an    act  of  the  unregenerate 
sinner,  iii.  £95. 


K. 

Knowledge,   importance  of,  ii.  75. 
Knowledge  of  God,  possible  no  further 
than  God  manifests  himself,  ii.  76. 

—  how  obtained,  ii.  337. 

—  a  source  of  endless  and  increasing  fe- 
licity to  holy  beings,  ii.  77.  169. 

—  essential  to  true  love,  i   142. 
Knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  wbaf. 

U.  503, 


INDEX. 


539 


Koewlcdge  of  our  guilty  and  helpless 
condition,  necessary  to  our  under- 
standing und  embracing  the  gospel,  i. 
337.  355.  and  to  our  accepting  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  i.  364 

Knowledge,  speculative,  insufficient  to 
beget  love  to  God,  iii.  307.  308. 

— —  errors  of  Pelagians,  Socininus,  and 
Antinomians,  on  this  point,  iii.  307. 


Law  of  God,  duties  required  in  it,  -what, 
i.  53.  iii.  t68. 

—  extent  of  its  requirements,  i.  143. 

—  unalterable  and  incapable  of  auy  a- 
balement,  1 1 10 — 1'27.  145. 

—  fitness  of,  i.  111.  147. 

—  threatcnkigs   of,  what,  i.   120.    159 
[See  threutenings  not  abated,  i.  145.3 

—  consequences  of  supposing  it  abated 
and  altered,  what,  i.  116,  117.  254. 

—  the  criterion  of  moral  character  and 
-of  blame worthiness,  ii.  371. 

—  repentance  presupposes  a  love   and 
approbation  of  it,  ii.  373. 

—  fuelled  by  Christ,  how,  i.  358.  this 
necessary,  why,  i.  359. 

—  the   rule  of  life  to   the  believer,  ii. 
518. 

—  is   perfect,  requiring    sinless   obedi- 
ence, iii.  237. 

—  submission  to,  necessary,  in  erder  to 
receiving  the  gospel,  i   125. 

Law,  holy,  just,  and  good,  independ- 
ently of  the  gospel,  ii.  205 — 212. 
349. 

— —  antecedently  t»  n  consideration  of 
the  gift  of  Christ,  and  the  work  of  re- 
demptioa,  ii.  359.  iii.  267. 

ii  approbation  of,  necessary  to  our 
embracing  the  gospel,  ii.  209.  212. 
265.  Note.  361.  384. 

—  objection  answered,  ii.  362. 

Laws  of  God  display  his  goodness,  i.  84. 
Law,  our  schoolmaster,  iii.  9- 

—  view  of  it  as  given  on  Mount  Sinai, 
iii.  14 — 17. 

—  uses  ot,  what,  ibid. 

—  requirements  of,  what,  iii.  17, 18. 

—  promises  life  on  condition  of  sinless 
obedience,  iii.  18.19. 

—  threatens  eternal  dam-nation  for  eve- 
ry violation  of  it,  ii.  320.  iii.  19 — 22. 

—  in  what  sense  understood  by  St.  Paul, 
considered,  iii.  21.  Note. 

—  by  the  deeds  of  it,  no  flesh  justified, 
iii.  2-2. 

—  Israelites  obliged  to  approve  of  it. 
iii.    23. 


Law  of  God  given  on  Mount  Sinai,  a 
plainer  edition  and  republication  of 
the  law  of  nature,  iii.  29. 

—  approbation  of,  necessary  to  receiving 
the  gospel,  iii.    24. 

—  Paul's    experience  of   its    efficacy, 
what,  iii.  i?7. 

Law  of  Moses  inconsistent  with  the  A  r- 
ininian  scheme,  iii.  39. 

Life,  everlasting,  promised  to  believers, 
what,  i.  449. 

— —  nature  of,  ii.  430. 

Li ght,  spiritual,  nature  and  effects  of, 
i.  426. 

Libertine,  his  language  before  the  tribu- 
nal of  Christ,  considered,  iii.  36. 

Living  by  faith,  mistakes  about,  ii.  195. 
297. 

Love  of  God  to  us,  various  senses  of, 
what,  ii.  217. 

Love  to  God,  what  is  implied  in,  i.  54. 

—  a  true  knowledge  of  God,  i.  54. 

—  esteem  of  him,  i.  59 — 61. 

—  benevolence,  i.  61 — C3. 

—  delight  in  him,  L  65. 

—  devotedness  to  turn,  L  64.     [See  de- 
voledness.] 

—  motives  from  which  true  love  to  God 
takes  its  rise,  i.  67. 

.    from  his  infinite  amiableness,  i.  £7. 

— — —  from  what  he  has  done,  and  pro- 
mises to  do  for  us,  i.  131. 

from  his  command  and  authority, 

1.  133.  iii.  466. 

—  measure  of  love  to  God,  what  is  re- 
quired, i.  143. 

Love  to  God,  obligation  to  it  binding, 
originally  from  what  he  is  in  himself, 
i.  9". 

— —  infinitely,  i.  99- 

eternally,  i.  108. 

—  unchangeably,  i.  109. 

—  the  foundation  of  all  religion,  ii.  266. 

—  the  foundation  of  all  holy  obedience, 
i.  66.  192. 

—  fruits  aud  eiects  of,  what,  i.  138. 

Lore  to  God  arising  from  an  apprehen- 
sion of  his  love  to  us,  and  not  from 
a  discovery  of  his  moral  excellence, 
false  and  spurious,  i.  58.  Note.  126. 
128.  ii.  219.  404.  iii.  461. 

—  primary  and  chief  motive  that  ought 
to  induce  us  to  love,  what,  ii.  200,  201. 

Loving  God,  not  for  what  he  is,  crimi- 
nal, i.  128. 

Love,  true,  distinguished  from  self-love, 
i.  135—139.  ii  221.  316. 

—  counterfeit,    its  nature    and    effects 
described,  i.  139—142. 

—  to  our  neighbour,  i.  179.  £Se 
tour] 


INDEX. 


Love  to  our  neighbour,    none  without 
love  to  God,  i.  87. 

—  of  Christ,  greatness  of,  ii.  347. 

—  to  Christ,  necessarily  implies  love  to 
God,  ii.  501.  Note. 

—  essential  to  true  faith,  i.  438. 

—  to  Christians,  what,  i.  182. 

Lord's    supper,  a  seal  of  the  covenant 
of  grace,  iii.  161.  and  passim. 

—  nature  and   design  of  this  covenant 
here  sealed,  iii.   166. 

—  qualifications  necessary  to    receiving 
this  seal  aright,  what,  ibid. 

—  is  not  a  converting  ordinance,  iii.  1C7. 
419 

—  infant  baptism  docs  not  qualify  a  per- 
son for  it,  iii.  402.  442. 

—  indispensable  duty  of  all  godly  per- 
sons to  come  to  it,  iii.  397. 


M. 

Man,  original  state  of,  ii.  54; 

—  made  a  free-agent,  ibid,  and  lord  of 
this  lower  world,  ibid. 

—  his  natural  capacity  and  faculties  the 
same  as  before  the  fall,  i.  148. 

—  his  natural  capacity  to  fulfil  the  law 
of  God  considered,  i.  144 — 149. 

—  destitute  of  the  moral  image  of  God, 
by  nature,  5.  200.  316 

—  perishing  condition  of,  i.  299.  ground 
of  it,  what,  i.300.  314. 


Means  which  God  uses  for  the  recoverr 
of  sinners,  what,  i.  388.  409. 
of  grace,  their  use  and  efficacy  to 
sinners,  what,  i.  225.  how,  and  for 
what  ends  to  be  used  by  them,  i.  424 
—426.  [See  unregenerate.] 

—  external,  sufficient  to  render  the  sub- 
jects of  them  accountable,  i.  170 — 
177. 

misimprovement  of,  criminal  and 

punishable.     [See  heathen.] 

Mediator,  office  of,  i.  295. 

—  necessity  of,  i.  339.  and  why,  i.  351. 

—  Christ's  fitness  and  sufficiency  for,  i. 
366. 

—  God-man  mediator,  i.  481. 

—  interposition  of,     necessary    before 
God  could  deal  with  man  in  a  way  of 
mercy,  iii.  450. 

Mediation  of  Christ,  design  of,  what, 
ii.  .376. 

—  the  procuring  cause  of  all  benefits  to 
man  in  the  present  world,  i.  389.  403 
—408. 

—  procures  a   reprieve  from,  and  sus- 
pension of  the  threatened  ruin,  i.  403. 

—  lavs  men   under  infinite  obligations, 
iii."  467. 

Messiah,  final  judge  of  the  world,  ii.  83. 
Merit,  personal,  insufficient  to  obtain  a 

title  to  heaven,  i.   1 5. 
none   in  the  perfect  obedience  of 

creatures,  i.  99.   101.  129. 
false  notions  of,  i.  107. 


Mankind,  all  equally  sinful   by  nature,  j  Mercy,  God's,  designs  of,  by  what  e*- 


240.    317.  ii.    34.    Note.    iii.    305. 
Note. 

—  naturally  enemies  to  God,    i.    162. 
317.  iii.  303.  311.  Note. 

evidences  of  it,  i.  318.  iii.  306. 

in  their  opposition  to  the  gospel,  i. 

42C.  iii.  305. 

—  voluntary  in  their  had  and  sinful  tem- 
per, i.  153. 

—  naturally  insensible  of  their  guilt  and 
perishing  condition,  i.  318. 

—  are  restrained  by    the    goodness  of 
God,  how,  i.  407. 

—  greater  part  of,  may  yet  he  saved,  i. 
510. 

Magistrates,  duty  of,  i.  535. 
Manicheans,    their    notions   respecting 


cited,  considered,  i.  320. 
not  to  mitigate  the  severity  of  the 

constitution  made   with  Adam,  ibid. 

nor    of   the  law   of    nature,  i.  322. 

nor  by  man's  inability  to  keep  it,  i. 

326.  nor  by  any  goodness  in  man,  i. 

S29.  but  are  from  his  own  self-moving 

goodness  and  sovereign  grace,  i.  330. 
Mercy,  exercises  of,  what,  i.  348. 

—  door  of,  opened  by   Jesus  Christ,  i. 
380.  428.  ii.  399. 

—  Cod's  purposes  of,  how  carried  into 
effect,  i.  409. 

Millennium,  i.  496. 

—  commencement  of,  i.  503. 

—  certainty  of,  i.  504. 

—  glory  of,  i.  510. 


the    origin  of   evil,    what,    ii.    170.'  —  duration  of,  i.  511. 
173.  Ministers,  duty  of,  i.  538. 

Mather,  Dr.  Increase,  observations  of,   in  the  admission  of  persons  into 

the  church,  iii.  124.  408. 

in  the  administration  of  baptism, 


respecting  the  proper  subjects  of  bap- 
tism, and  the  qualifications  which 
give  parents  the  right  of  baptism  for 
their  children,  iii.  395 — 397. 
Marshall,  Mr.  his  notions  about  assur- 
ance, what,  ii.  228.  244. 


iii.  401. 

Misery  in  itself  undesirable  to  God,  i. 
88.  love  of  it  not  to  be  attributed  to 
him,  iii.  325. 


INDEX. 


541 


Moral  excellency  of  Get),  a  sight  of, 
lays  the  foundation  for  divine  love,  i. 
96. 

—  the  foundation  of  moral  obligation, 
iii.  458. 

—  view  of,  convinces  the  mind  of  the 
truth  of  the  gospel,  ii.  510. 

.         kills  a  self-righteous  spirit,  ii.  486. 

Moral  government  of  God,  original  ex- 
cellency and  design  of,  ii.  552.  [See 
government.] 

Moral  inability,  what,  i.  149. 

—  criminal,  i.  150. 

—  inexcusable,  i.  155.  326. 

—  not  excused  by  being  derived   from 
Adam.  i.  156. 

Moral  obligation,  foundation  of,  i.  81. 
262. 

Moral  suasion,  insufficiency  of,  to  pro- 
duce conversion,  i.  162.  ii.  535. 

Mosaic  dispensation,  preparatory  to  the 
gospel,  iii.  10.  21.  56. 

Moses,  Divine  legation  of,  ii.  26. 

N. 

Neighbour,  love  to  him,  what  required, 
i.  179—183. 

how  manifested,  i.  186. 

••       motives  by  which  we  are  to  be  in- 
fluenced to  it,  i.  1 83. 

— —  it  is  right  and  fit,  ibid. 

the   command  and    authority    ol 
God,  i.i84. 

•—  example  of  God,  i.  185. 

standard  and  measure  of  it,  what, 

i.  186. 

its  counterfeits,  natural  compas- 
sion, i.  148.  good-nature,  idid.  natu 
ral  affection,  i.  189.  party  spirit,  L 
1 90.  that  arising  from  other's  love  to 
us,  ikiil.  from  their  being  as  bad  ai 
we,  ihiil. 

\~iroilciaiis,  his  coming  to  Christ  for  in 
struction,  i.  293. 

—  Christ's  conference  with,  i.  294. 
Non-elect,  dealings   of    God    towards 

what,  i.  394.  421. 

—  subject*    of  common    mercies    am 
common  grace,  i.  396. 

—  causes  of  their   own   destruction,  i 
395.  400. 

O. 

Obedience,  active,  of  Christ,   necessa 

ry,  i.  358. 
••        the  ground  of  our  acceptance  wit] 

God,  i.  363.     [See  Christ.] 
Obedience  of  Christ,  meritorious,  why 

ii.  389. 


Obedience  of  creatures  to  God,  rea- 
sonableness of,  i.  79. 

—  why  approved  and  rewarded,  i.  79 
—80. 

)bedience,  perfect,  lays  God  under  ne 
obligations,  i.  101. 

—  the  condition   of  life    by  the  first 
covenant,  i.  101. 

—  the  condition  on  which   the  law 
promises  life,  iii.  18. 

—  sincere,  not  all  that  is   required,  i. 
113. 

—  is  insufficient,  iii.  44. 
Obligations,  God   under  none  to    save 

sinners,  i.  332.  369 — 371. 

—  ours  to  live  devoted  to  God  many  and 
solemn,  i.  279.  285. 

Obligation  to  love  God  ceases  not  from 
our  indisposition,  i.  109 

—  moral,  foundation  of,  what,  i.   81 — 
83   262. 

Opposition  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  to  the 
gospel,  i.  41 8. 

Driginal  corruption,  God  not  the  au- 
thor of,  i-  219. 

—  whence  derived,  i.  221. 


P. 


Pardon    of   sin,   inconsistent   with    the 
Divine  perfection,  without    an  atone- 
ment, ii.  343. 
>  how  obtained,  ii.  454. 

Parents,  obligations  of,  to  their  baptised 
Children,  iii.  185. 

—  their  right  to  their  children,  what, 
iii.  464. 

—  duties  toward*  them,  what,  iii.  486. 
Passive  faith,  insufficient  and  unscriptu- 

ral,  ii.  397.  note.  403. 

—  Mr.  Sandeman's  notions  of,  errone- 
ous, iii.  258. 

Patience  and  forbearance  of  God,  abu- 
sed by  sinners,  i.  406 — 408. 
i       greatness  of,  towards  a  rebellious, 
guilty  world,  iii.  520. 

Patriarchs,  dealings  of  God  with,  i.  413 
—415. 

JPauFs  way  of  reasoning,  in  his  epistle 
to  the  Galatians,  shown,  iii.  12,  13. 

Perfections  of  God,  natural  and  mora^, 
L69. 

—  how  discovered,  i,  69 — 97. 

by  his  works,  i.  70 — 93. 

by  his  word,  i.  93 — 95. 

by  his  Holy  Spirit,  i.  95 — 97. 

—  gloriously  displayed  in   the   death  of 
Christ,  ii.  337.  356. 

Permission  of  sin,  lessens  not  the  evil 
and  criminality  of  it,  ii  145.  155. 
[See  sin.] 


542 


INDEX. 


Perfect  obedience,  required  by  the  law 
iii.  17. 

—  required   of  the  -Israelites,    iii.   57 
£See  obedience.] 

Perseverance  of  saints,  doctrine  of,  i 
242.  440. 

—  a    motive  to  Christian  diligence,  i 
244. 

—  inseparable  from  effectual  calling,  i 
398. 

Perseverance,     Christian,    motives    to, 

what,  i.  285. 

necessity  of,  i.  287. 

— —  essential  to  admittance  to  heaven, 

iii.  48. 

—  directions  for,  what,  i.  291. 
Pharaoh,  dealings  of  God   with,   i.  75 

ii.  217. 
display  the -wisdom  of  Gorl,  i.  91. 

—  his   conduct  under    the  dealings   of 
God,  what,  ii.  1 3. 

—  hardens  his  own  heart,  ii.  31. 
Pharisees,  their  false  notions  concern- 
ing the  law  of  God,  i.  114.  iii.  143. 

—  their  false  glosses  of  the  law,  a  cause 
of  their  rejecting  the  gospel,  ii.  424 
iii.  283. 

Prayers  of  awakened  sinners,  nature  of, 
considered,  i.  234. 

Preparation  of  the  world  for  the  advent 
of  Christ,  necessary,  iii.  56. 

Preparatory  work,  necessary  to  sinners, 
in  order  to  receive  the  gospel,  ibid. 

Presumption,  what,  and  how  different 
from  faith,  ii.  234.— 236. 

Principles,  "  no  matter  what  they  are 
if  the  life  he  but  good,"  false  and  dan- 
gerous, i.  55.  Note.  iii.  372. 

Principle,  holy,  in  the  regenerate, 
given  in  regeneration  and  confirmed 
after  the  first  act  of  faith,  i.  449.  iii. 
.134.  Note. 

Probation,  the  present  life  a  state  of, 
i.  47. 

—  new  state  of,  to  sinners,  i.  348.  350. 

—  under  the  gospel,  i.  393.  403. 
Promises  of  GodtoChri&t,  absolute,  iii. 

111. 
« —  of  the  gospel  to  sinners,  conditional, 

ii  246.  iii.  114. 
Promises  of  God  to  believers,  what,  i. 

449. 

—  none  but  believers  interested  in  them, 
iii.  112. 

— -  to  Abraham,  what,  ii.  249.  iii.  110. 
Promises  of  grace,  none  to  the  unrege- 

nerate,  i.    224.   ii.  246.  iii.  343.  and 

passim. 

—  none  to  unbelievers,  iii.  284. 

r— objections  answered,  i.  225 — 228. 


Promises  of  grace,  performed  to  thera 
that  seek  aright,  iii.  254. 

Providence  of  God,  i.  70.  and  passim. 

—  extent  of,  ii.  178—180. 

Punishment,  eternal,  a  doctrine  of  scrip- 
ture, iii.  32.  460. 
•   the  just  desert  of  sin,  iii.  31 — 38. 

inconsistent,  except  sin  be  a  viola 

tion  of  infinite   obligation,  and  an  in 
finite  evil,  iii.  459. 

not  designed  merely  to  confirm  the 

righteous   iu    everlasting    obedience^ 
ibid. 

Punitive  justice  essential  to  the  charac- 
ter of  God,  i.  546.  iii.  509 — 512.  and 
an  amiable  perfection  of  God,  ii.  413. 
iii.  321. 


Q. 

Questions  respecting  the  duty  of  the 
unregenerate,  in  the  use  of  means, 
answered,  iii.  257. 

—  respecting  the  carnal  mind,  in  what 
sense  it  is  enmity  against  God,  an- 
swered, iii.  290.  and  passim. 

Queries,  various,  stuted  und  answered, 
ii.  230—236. 


R. 

Ramsey,  Clievalier,  notions  of,  respect- 
ing the  fall  of  man,  and  his  final  res- 
toration, ii.  106. 

Reconciliation  to  God  and  his  govern- 
ment, what,  ii.  401. 

—  manner  of  it,  what,  ii.  517. 

—  whether  the  gospel  calls  sinful  men 
to  be  reconciled  to  the  true  character 
of  God    which  they  liate,  or  to  an- 
other character  of  God,  considered, 
iii.  314.  and  passim. 

Reconcileable  to  the  world,  God  is,  i. 
3QO.  iii.  467. 

Redemption,  by  Jesus  Christ,  the  great- 
est work  of  God,  ii.  80.  337. 

Regeneration,  nature  of,  i.  431. 

—  antecedent  to  faith,  i.  450.  Note.   ii. 
264.  512.  iii.  294. 

—  not  produced  by  light,  iii.  307,  308. 

—  effects  of,  iii.  59. 
necessity  of,  ii.  438.  iii.  309. 

—  restores    the  soul  to  that  image   of 
God,  in  which  Adam  was  created,  iii. 
335.  337.  in  what  this  image  consists-, 
ibid. 

Refined  Antinomianism,  blow  at  tire 
root  of,  iii.  79 — 119. 

—  doctrines  of,  what,  iii.  118, 


INDEX. 


543 


Relative  duties,  extent  and   importance 

of,  i.  180—183. 

Religion,  true,  consists  in,  what,  5.  53 
Religion  the  duty  of  nil  men,  i.  534. 

—  pleasures  of,  unspeakable,  iii.  490. 

—  false  notions  and  experiences  of,  in 
the  Arminian  and  Antinomian,  i.  116 
— 120.  126    195.  229.  275. 

Religions,  false,  result  from  self-lore,  i. 

194.  ill  4G1. 
Remembering  God,  what  is  implied  in, 

iii.  451. 
— —  that  we  have  right  apprehensions 

of  him,  iii.  452. 
that  we  have  a  vital  sense  of  him 

in  our  hearts,  ibid. 
a  sort  of  forgetting  all  other  things, 

iii.  453. 
that  we  choose  him  as  our  chief 

good,  and  be  devoted  to  him,  iii.  455. 

—  obligations  that  young  people  are  un- 
der, thus  to  remember    God,  what, 
iii.  456.  and  passim. 

—  directions  and  motive*  to  the    per- 
formance of  this,  iii.  476. 

—  what   are  hindrances  to  the  perfor- 
mance, ibid. 

Repentance,  connected   with  regenera 
tion,  faith,  and  conversion,  i.  431. 

—  implied   in  the  nature  of  true  faith 
ii.  460.  iii.  47. 

—  implies  reconciliation,  to  the  Divine 
character,  ii.  442. 

—  insufficient  to  procure  pardon  with 
out  an  atonement,  ii.  394.  even  hi  tli< 

saints,  ii.  406. 

—  is  before  forgiveness,  ii.  407.  438,  iii 
47  117.  295. 

—  objections  answered,  ii.  455 — 464. 

—  is  the   consequence  of  regeneration 
ii.  441. 

—  required  before  baptism,  ta  adults,  iii 
156.   165. 

Requirements  of  God,  whether  more 
than  we  have  power  to  perform,  con 
sidered,  i.  115.  258.  iii.  34.  272. 

Resurrection  from  tlie  dead,  purchase 
by  Christ,  i.  40C. 

Restraining  grace,  what,  i.  416,  217. 

Retirement,  helpful  to  devotion  and  sel 
examination,  i.  267. 

Reprobation,  doctrine  of,  ii.  33.  Note 

illustrated,  ii.  100.  Note.  103. 

vindicated,  i.  91.  Note. 

Revelation,  Divine,  mankind  not  enjo} 
ing  it,  their  own  fault,  i.  164.  419 

Rewards  of  obedience,  design   of  Got 

in  conferring  them,  what,  i.  101. 

Right  and  wrong  do  not  result  from  th 

mere  will  and  law  of  God,  nor  fror 

»ny  tendency  of  things  to  promote  c 


hinder   the   happiness  of  creatures' 
but   are   founded   in    the    nature    o 
things,  i.  81  — 83.  Note.  111. 
ight   and   wrong  considered,    i.   262. 
Note. 

Righteousness,   its  meaning,    what,    i. 
518. 

—  exalteth  a  nation,  how,  i.  510. 

—  glorious  and  happy  effects  of,  i.  525. 
lighteousncsB  of  Christ,  the  ground  of 

justification,  i.  103.   107.  364.  457. 

—  safety  of  trusting  in  it,  iii.  107. 109*. 

—  encouragement  to  trust  in  it,  ii.  263. 


Sacrifice  of  Christ,    acceptable  to  God, 

why,  ii.  389. 
Sacrifices  under  the  law,  use  of,  what, 

ii.  444.  iii.  26.  343. 
Saints  merit  nothing  by  theirobedienec, 

i.  106. 

—  to  be  objects  of  our  complaceney  and 
delight,  i.  182. 

Salvation  by  tree-grace,  i.  330 — 332.  ii. 
375.     [See  grace] 

—  way  of  for  sinners,  wh:it,  ii-  309. 
Salvation  of  all  men,  not  best,  ii.  100. 
SanctiReation,  what,  ii.  274 — 279. 

—  the  only  evidence  of  justification  and 
of  our  good  estate,  ii.  115.  274.  iii.  85. 

Sandcman,  Mr.  his  error  about  faith,  S. 
397.  Note.  iii.  4-27. 

.1        about  repentance,    ii.  408.  Note, 
iii.  '252. 

— —  about  forgiveness  being  before  re- 
pentance, iii.  294. 

— —  about  the  impropriety  of  exhorta- 
tions to  sinners,  ii.  538.  Note.  iii.  258. 

— —  about  the  atonement,  ii.  465.  Note. 

Satan,  agency  of,    in  the  fall   of  man, 
what,  ii.  56.  341. 

'  whether  without  Divine   permis- 
sion, ii.  131.  133  177. 

—  tempter  to  sin,  ii.  487. 

—  suggestions  of,  what,  ii  490. 

—  God's  design  in  permitting  his  temp- 
tations to   succeed  with  our  first  pa- 
reuts,  what,  ii.  57. 

Satisfaction   for    sin,  necessary,  i.   340. 
351.     [See  atonement.] 

—  raade  by  Christ,  ii.  314. 

—  consists    in  obeying  the  preceptive 
part  of  the  law,  as  well  as  in    suffer- 
ing the  penalty,  i.  358.  365.     [See 
obedience.] 

Scripture,  proof  of   Hs  divinity,  what, 

ir.  495 
Scripture  the  only  standard  by  which  our 

creeds  arc  to  be  formed,  iii.  371.  374- 

S7». 


544 


INDEX, 


Scripture,  directions  fog  understanding 

it,  what,  iii.  $. 
Self-love,  i.  90.  95. 

—  its  predominance  in  man,  i.  201. 

—  itssinfulness,  i.  207. 

—  natural  to  man,  i.  205. 

—  highest  principle  in   the  unregener 
ate,  i.  195. 

—  governs  every  apostate  creature,  iii. 
338. 

—  different  from  true  love,  how,  i.  141. 

—  different  from  true  religion,  and  the 
spring  of  all  false,  i.  194. 

—  the  root  of  all   evil  carriage  toward 
our  neighbour,  i.  215. 

Self-justifiying  spirit,  nature  of,  ii.  470. 
iii.  271. 

—  effects  of,  ii.  474. 

—  criminality  of,  ii.  373; 

—  danger  of,  iii.  276. 

—  cure  of,  what,  ii.  482. 
Self-righteousness,    dishonourable     and 

hateful  to  God,  i.  100. 

Self-righteous  sinner,  what  is  meant  by, 
iii.  270.  and  passim. 

Serpent,  brazen,  use  of  to  the  Israel- 
ites, what,  iii.  105. 

Shepard,  Mr.  observations  of,  respect- 
ing the  admission  of  members  into 
the  church,  what,  iii.  357. 

Sin,  introduction  of,  i.  89. 

—  mistakes  respecting  it,  what,  ii.  49. 

—  God's  not  interfering  to  prevent  it,  a 
proof  that  he  determined  the  intro- 
duction of  it  to  be    best,  all    things 
considered,  i.  89. 

Sin  an  infinite  evil,  ii.  402.  and  infinitely 
punishable,  i.  105.  121.  324. 

—  evinced  in  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  i. 
83.  354.  and   in   the  eternal  punish- 
ment   of  the   wicked,  i.   84.  ii.  111. 
[See  punishment] 

—  demerit  of,  consists  in,  what,  i.  263. 
345. 

—  mistakes  respecting  it,  i.  263. 

—  evil  of,  consists  chiefly   in   its   being 
committed  against  God,  iii.  458.  498. 

—  consequences  of  lessening  the  evil  of 
it,  what,  i.  264. 

—  begins  in  that  which  is  merely  nega- 
tive, iii.  330. 

—  of  Adam  decreed,  how,  i.  308. 
imputed  to  his  posterity,  i.  221. 

—  permission  of,  ii.  9. 

1    •  consists  in  not  hindering  it,  ii.ll.  31. 

wisdom  of  God  in  the,  ii.  12 — 27. 

^design  of  God  in  the,  ii.  27. 

for  the  best  good  of  the  system,  ii. 

35. 

—  errors    respecting    the  introduction 
of,  refuted,  ii.   50. 


Sin,  wisest  and  best  for  the  system,  ii. 
132. 

—  objections  answered,  ii.  39 — 109. 

—  in  itself  odious  to  God,  ii.    145.  157. 
but  permitted  for  good  ends,  ii.  159. 

—  the  great  evil  of,  arises  from,  what, 
iii.  498.  501. 

consists  in  this,  that  it  is  against 

God,  proved,  iii.  514.  517.  Note. 

— •  a  sense  of  the  great  evil  of,  necessa- 
ry to  true  repentance,  iii.  497. 

— —  a  sense  of  this,  is  in  proportion  to 
the  sense  of  our  obligations,  iii.  499. 

—  in   what  respects  it  is  against  God, 
iii.  502 — 512. 

—  malignity  of  it,  what,  ibid. 

—  tendency  of,  to  dethrone  the  majes- 
ty of  heaven,  ii.  353.  iii.    505.  and  to 
destroy  the  good   of  the  moral  sys- 
tem, iii.  5 10. 

—  great  evil  of,  will  be    proved  at  the 
final  judgment,  iii.  5 14.  522. 

—  slight  and  imperfect  ideas  of,  enter- 
tained by  the  wicked,  518. 

—  to  be  feared  as  the  greatest  evil,  iii. 
528. 

Sinner,  definition  of  the  term,  iii.  270. 
Sinners,  voluntary  in  their  bad  temper, 
i.  153. 

—  impenitent,    .deplorable      state     of, 
pointed  out,  iii.    70. 

—  condilioa  of,  while  in  unbelief,  what, 
i.  335. 

—  encouraged  to  return  to  God,  through 
Christ,  ii.  399.  this  their  duty,  under 
a  dispensation    of  mercy   and  grace, 
i.  423-  not  their  duty  to  be  willing  to 
be  damned,  ii.  322.  Note. 

Sincere  obedience  cannot  justify,  iii.  44. 
Son  of  God,  creator  of  the  worlds,  ii. 

143. 
Sovereignty  of  grace,  i.  238. 

—  reasonableness  of,  i.  239. 

—  displayed  in  election,  i.  420.     [See 
grace.] 

Sovereignty  of  God,   in    granting    the 

means  of  grace,  i.  177.  ii.   369. 
Sovereign   grace,  the  only    ground    of 

hope,  as  to  a  sinner's  conversion,  iii. 

260.     [See  sovereignty  of  grace.] 
Socinians,  doctrines  and  errors  of,  what, 

,iii.  298. 
Spirit,  Holy,  agency    and  office  of,    i. 

95.  421. 

—  immediate  influences  of,  necessa- 
ry, why,  i.  162.  218. 

—  special    influences  of,    necessary^ 
\vhy,  i.  90. 

—  saving  influences  of,  supernatural 
and  irresistible,  i.  237. 


INDEX 


545 


Spirit,  Holy,  strivings  of,  with  all  gospel 

sinners,  i.  423. 
— —  resistance  of,   the  cause   of    His 

•withdrawing,  ibid. 
Spirit,  witness  of,    what,    ii.   291.  and 

how  known,  i    251. 
••—  mistakes   about  it,    considered,  i. 

251.  452. 

—  immediate  witness  of.  not  true,  i.  250. 
hut  needless,  why,  ii.  294. 

Spirit  of  God,  does  not  assist  us  to  be- 
lieve -what  is  not  true  before,  iii.  95, 
96.  Nor  to  believe  a  lie,  ii.  259. 

Spiritual  blindness,  consists  in,  what,  ii. 
487. 

—  criminality  of,  ii.  498. 

Systems  of  the  world,  the  present  the 
best,  ii.  35.  43.  98. 

—  objections  answered,  ii.  98. 
Sufferings  of  Christ,  a  sufficient    satis- 
faction for  the  sins  of  all  men,  i.  381. 

—  efficacy  of,  to  those  who  were  par- 
doned before  the  death  of  Christ,  i. 
392. 


T. 

Taylor,  Dr.  his  scheme  of  religion,  how 
esteemed,  iii.  378.  Note.  387. 

—  his  notions  about  Calvinism,  what,  iii. 
431. 

Thankfulness,  reasons  for,  and  motives 

to,  what,    i.   -83. 
Threatening^  of  God,  end   and  uses  of, 

what,  i.  85. 
Threatening  to  Adam,  what,  i.  304. 

—  how  executed  in   the  death   of  his 
surety,  iii.  329- 

Trial,  the  present  life  a  state  of,  i.  47. 
\_ See  probation.]] 

—  proved    by  the  Divine  conduct    to 
wards  men,  i  47 — 50. 

Trinity,  dot-trine  of,  i   294 — 297. 

—  character  and  office  of  each  person, 


U. 


in  the  work  of  salvation,  i.  295.  368. 

ii   335 
True  religion,  in  what  it  consists,  i.  52 

293 
Tnith,  never  required  to  be  believed 

without  sufficient  evidence,  ii  231. 
Truth    and  faithfulness  of  God,  i    92 

504. 
Truth,  love  of,  the  life  and  essence  ol 

faith,  iii  341 
Truths,  gospel,  the  only  foundation  am1 

excitements  r.f  holy  affections,  iii.  99 


Unbelievers  under  condemnation  and 
the  curse  of  the  law.  i.  123.  335.  ii. 
248.  259.  iii.  276. 

Unconditional  salvation,  doctrine  of, 
false,  ii  246.  and  Note,  and  mischiev- 
ous, ii.  477. 

—  no  promises  of,  in  the  gospel,  iii.  114. 
Unconditional  submission,  considered,  ii. 

322.  Note.  323. 
Unconditional  covenant,  what,  iii.  214.- 

—  no  qualifications  necessary  for  enter* 
nginto  it,  iii  3i3. 

Unction,  spiritual,  what,  i.  130.  ii.  500 

504. 

Unity  of  God,  ii.  49. 
Universal  salvation,  does  not  follow  from 

universal  atonement,  i.  397. 

—  not  for  the  best,  all  things  consider- 
ed, ii.  100. 

Uiiregenerate,  their  performances  sin- 
ful and  odious,  i.  222. 

—  moral  state  of,  i.  223   iii.   59. 

—  blindness  of,  ii.  265. 

—  duty  of,  to  strive  iu  the  use  of  means, 
i    423.    iii    258.  in   what  manner,  i. 
424.  with  what  views,  iliid. 

—  doings  of,  do  not  entitle  to  the  bles- 
sings promised  in  the  gospel,  iii.  248. 
reasons  why,  iii.  256    yet  they    are 
required  to  seek,  iii.  256.  Note. 

Unregenerate  men,  at  heart  infidels,  ii. 
387.  iii.  318. 

—  arc  moral  agents,  iii.  264. 

—  nature   of  their    prayers,  what.  Jii 
419. 

—  doings  of,  what,  iii.  238. 

whether  they   render  them  roor« 

sinful,  iii.  J4o.  .58. 
——  whether  required  by  Gal,  iii.  24L 
whether  any  thing  short  of  holiness 

is  required,  iii.  244. 

—  improper   subjects  of  church   cove- 
nanting, iii.    22^. 

—  utmost  endeavours  of,  insufficient  t« 
church  covenanting,  iii.   218. 


V. 

Vindictive  justice,    an  amiable  perfec- 
tion of  God,  i.  102.  ii   413 

—  has  nothing  in  its  nature  inconsistent 
with  infinite  goodness,  ii  414. 

—  estenucd  amiable  by    the  Christian, 
ii.  528 

Troth*  of  scripture,  true  before  we  be- !  Van    Mustricht,    observation    of,    res- 
pecting liaptism  of  adults,  iii  355. 
Virtue,  false   notions  of,  entertained  by 

selfish,  ungodly  men,  iii.  519. 
VOL.   III.  69 


Jitvt  them,  a--d  whether  we  believe 
them  or  not,  iii. 


546 


INDEX. 


W. 


Westminster  confession  of  faith,  deci- 
sions of,  respecting  the  qualifications 
for  the  Lord's  table,  iii.  356. 

—  other  articles  of,  what,  iii.  428. 

—  a  preservative  against  errors,  iii.  445. 
Whitby,  Dr.  on  the  wisdom  of  God  in 

creating  and  governing  the  world,  iii. 

137. 
Wicked,  doings  of,  sinful  and  odious,  ii. 

405       [See  sinners  3 
Witness  of  the  Spirit,  what,  i.  452.  ii. 

291. 

—  how  ascertained,  i  251.  452. 
Works  of  God,  what,  i.  70 — 93. 
Works,  good,  the    fruits  and  evidence 

of  faith,  ii.  459.     [See  faith.] 
Works,    how   they  justify,    explained, 

iii.  48 
Word   of  God    reveals  his    character, 

works,  and  designs,  i.  95    ii  49.  337. 

—  the    instrument   of  sanetification,  ii. 
532. 


the  beginning,  i.  410 — 419. 


World,  system  of,  the  present  the  best, 

ii.  35.  43.  98. 
—  whether  it  might  have  been  created 

sooner,  ii.  141. 


Y. 

Youths  commanded  to  remember  their 
creator,  iii.  449. 

—  their  obligations  to  do  this,  what,  iii. 
456. 

—  directions  and  motives  to  the  perfor- 
mance of  this,  iii  476. 

—  temper    and  temptations  of,  what, 
iii.  476. 

— —  how  to  be  overcome  and  avoided, 

iii.  477. 
— - —  directions  for  doing   this,    what, 

iii  448. 

—  motives  to  early  piety,  iii.  490. 


Z. 


Zeal,  counterfeit,  i.  249.  [See  cnthuM 
asts.] 


INDEX 


TO  THE  PRINCIPAL  TEXTS  ILLUSTRATED  AND  EXPLAINED 
IN  THE  WHOLE  WORK. 


EXODUS. 

MARK. 

ROMANS. 

ix.  16.                        i 

.     75 

xi    23,  24  ii  254.  iii    116 

ix.   22.                      ii.   103 

xvi.  14.                     i.  252 

xir.   23.                     i.  252 

ISAIAH. 

LUKE. 

H.  CORINTHIANS. 

x.  5,  6.                     ii 

.  150 

v.  7.                         i.  252 

xlv.  6,  7.                  ii 

49 

x.  25.  28.                iii.     18 

v.  19.                        i.  390 

1.  10.                            i 

.  432 

xv.  29.                   iii.   143 

OALATIANS. 

EZEK1EL. 

JOHN. 

iii.  10.  13.                 iii.  21 

vi.  8.            iii.  503, 

note. 

xiv.  21.                     i    453. 

HEBREWS. 

i.  v.  1.                       iii.   310 

iii.  16.                       i.  252 

xi    6.                i.  169.  note 

MATTHEW. 

ROMANS. 

JAMES. 

xiv.  31.                     i 

252 

vii.   18.           i.  160.  note. 

ii.  21.                        iii.  47 

xviii.  3.                      i 

201 

viii.  7.           iii.  503.  note. 

:nx.   16,  17.             iii 

19'do.  do.                       i.   119 

1  TIMOTHY. 

sxii,  12.                  iii.  418 

—  16.              i.  250.  252. 

iv.  10.                 i.  284.  407 

THE  END. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

IN  accordance  with  the  opinion  of  several  Divines,  words, 
which  had  become  obsolete,  have  been  changed,  and  sentences, 
evidently  incorrect,  have  been  corrected.  In  no  instance,  how- 
ever, has  the  meaning  of  the  author  been  varied.  RI  addition 
to  what  was  at  first  proposed,  a  complete  Index  to  the  whole 
work  has  been  added.  The  work  is  executed  in  a  style,  which 
it  is  hoped  will  meet  the  approbation  of  the  Christian  public. 

In  this  work,  the  writings  of  Dr.  Bellamy  arc  consolidated  : 
writings,  which  have  already  done  much,  in  the  hands  of  the 
HOLY  SPIRIT,  to  detect  and  confound  error,  to  discover  and  es- 
tablish truth,  to  enlighten  the  understanding,  to  convince  and 
humble  the  sinner,  to  enlarge  the  views,  establish  and  comfort 
the  hearts  of  the  people  of  GOD,  and  to  awaken  them  to  active 
exertion  in  His  cause.  May  the  SPIRIT  of  grace  enlighten  the 
minds  of  those  who  peruse  them,  into  a  knowledge  of  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  JESUS. 

THE  PUBLISHER. 
:,  March,  1812. 


ERRATA. 

Volume  1,  page  117,  line  21  from  top,  for  delude,  read  deluded. 

296,  line    7  from  top,  for  if,  read  is. 
Volume  2,  page      7,  line  13  from  top,  for  accountable,  read  unaccountable. 

9,  line  15  from  top,  for  lam,  read  ami. 
57,  line    8  from  bottom,  for  peaceable,  read  peccable, 
25,  line  14  from  top,  before  evidences,  insert  no. 

251,  line    7  from  top,  for  son  of  God,  read  sons  of  God. 

295,  bottom  line,  for  is,  read  his. 

299,  line    3  from  top,  for  no,  read  our. 

327,  line  14  from  top,  for  thy  read  they. 

382,  line    2  from  bottom,  for  Gospel,  read  law. 

399,  note,  line  2  from  bottom,  tor  penitent,  read  impenitent. 

404,  line  19  from  top,  insert  the. 

521,  line  27  from  top,  for  as  man,  read  that  a  man, 
Volume  3,  page  142,  line  17  from  top,  (or  apposite,  read  opponte. 

247,  line  22  from  top,  for  man,  read  men. 

3«2,  line    6  from  top,  after  an,  insert  opinion. 


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